The Edge of Her World
by texashoser
Summary: A valuable member to the Ghostbusters team is in danger of being lost forever. Will they find a solution in time? Or is it the end for one of the gang? (The whole Ending is up!) R
1. Date Interrupted

The bright sun reflected on the small lake. Janine Melnitz peered into the clear water and not only could see herself, but the small fish swimming in it. They caught sight of her and took off in all directions. She giggled than reached to dip her hand into the lake in an attempt to cool herself off. A larger hand quickly grabbed hers and pulled her away.  
  
"No, Janine. We don't know what's in there," a bass voice said. She looked at the speaker as he released her hand.  
  
"Nothing's happened, Egon. This place is just like Central Park," Janine replied. She looked around at the acres of grass going in one direction that didn't seem to end, at the forest behind them where the branches and leaves bent slightly in the light wind than back at the inviting clear lake. "Except there's no traffic or pollution clogging the air."  
  
"It's lulling you into a sense of false security. Once you are in a state of complete relaxation than danger might very well strike," Egon told her.  
  
"But we're supposed to be enjoying the day. Not having to look over our shoulders every five minutes," Janine replied. "You promised me we would have a nice time today."  
  
"Haven't we?" Dr. Spengler inquired. The woman sighed and lay back on the grass. She could feel the individual blades poke into her body through the thin, flowery, red sundress she wore, but it didn't bother her. It was almost like tiny fingers were massaging her body.  
  
"Yeah, we have," the woman answered with a smile. "I'm really glad you stumbled on this place."  
  
"I didn't find it. It was Raymond. Seemed it had been part of a random choosing of destinations for the portal. Rather unscientific in my opinion." Melnitz quickly sat up and looked at the blonde scientist.  
  
"Did he bring Dani here?" She quickly asked. Egon looked at her a moment.  
  
"No," Egon answered. "Ray suggested I bring you here for the picnic. I was inclined to agree, but I do wonder why now he and Dani didn't come here themselves."  
  
"I don't want to think about it," Janine said. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't in a used vacation spot. Not that all frequented places are bad. I'd love to go to Hawaii. Or even the Caribbean. Maybe even Australia."  
  
"Australia has some fascinating scientific prospects. It's almost a whole new world compared to the rest of the Earth." Dr. Spengler turned to his girlfriend who looked as if she was about to throw something. "I'm sorry. I merely meant Australia would be a very remarkable continent to enjoy and relax in."  
  
"No, no. You'll go for scientific value, while I'll go for tourist attractions. We'll meet halfway somewhere," Janine responded. She gave Egon a sly grin. "Just as long as we meet." He smiled back and leaned toward the woman. He touched her lips with his own. They moved closer together than both leaned back into the grass. Their glasses quickly came off. Janine pushed down Egon's suspenders than started to unbutton his shirt.  
  
"Hey, what happened to the PG rating around here?" The two looked up to see a familiar man with dark brown hair looming over them. "We really have to set an impression for the kiddies."  
  
"What kids are you talking about, Peter?" Dr. Spengler inquired as he sat up and rebuttoned his shirt and picked up his glasses as Janine picked her own. The psychologist just gave his friend a lopsided grin and Egon sighed with a shake of his head before looking back at Dr. Venkman. "Was there an actual reason you decided to come in here?"  
  
"Nah," Dr. Venkman answered. He sat down on the grass with the couple. "I just felt like checking out the place. Gotta find out if it's actually worth bringing a date here or not."  
  
"Peter, quit messing around!" Winston shouted from behind them. They turned to glance at the third Ghostbuster standing in the portal's makeshift circular doorway who looked a bit annoyed.  
  
"It's a call, isn't it?" Janine said with a slightly disappointed look.  
  
"On the nose," Peter replied with a nod. "Sorry, I have to interrupt your wonderful date, but duty calls and the call is from the governor. If it was anybody else we would have scheduled it for tomorrow, but we owe the governor a few. He's saved our butts a few times from being kicked by the mayor."  
  
"He's also the guy that almost got you into trouble with the president. Threw around the words 'nuclear weapons' around a few times and we were nearly shut down," Janine responded. "The FBI, CIA, Secret Service and a few other major organizations turned the firehouse upside-down for a week before they finally decided you guys weren't actually a threat, but would keep an eye on you."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Dr. Venkman chuckled. "I remember that time one of their cars was following us and Ray was driving. That was the first and last time they ever did that."  
  
"As much as I would like to visit down memory lane I believe we have a job, Peter," Egon interjected.  
  
"Yup," Peter said as he hopped to his feet. "Gotta go save the world and stuff. Same old, same old." He walked toward the portal. Egon stood and helped Janine to her feet.  
  
"I apologize," he told her.  
  
"You shouldn't," Janine responded. "I've gotten used to it." Dr. Spengler looked at her a moment than kissed her gently and went after Peter. She watched him go through the portal. The woman looked around at the beautiful surroundings of the alternate world before eventually going through herself.  
  
*****  
  
"Liar." Janine looked at the back of a blonde haired woman doing pilate exercises in front of the television in the living room of the Ghostbuster's firehouse. "You are the biggest liar on the face of the planet and I don't even have to look at your expression to be able to tell you're lying. I can tell by the inflections of your voice with certain words." The blonde stopped a moment. "I gotta stop reading those psych books Peter keeps pawning off on me."  
  
"So what if I am, Dani?" Janine replied. "It all works out in the end."  
  
"Maybe," Dani replied. "Maybe it doesn't." She turned around and looked at the redhead. "Look. You can do what you want, but if it turns out bad later than don't come complaining to me. I realize we talk about everything, but I'd like to take the opportunity to draw a line. And here's the line." The redhead gave the young woman a look. "Don't look at me like that. I have every right to say this."  
  
"You know when I said we should have an honest friendship I didn't mean this honest," the secretary responded annoyed at the young woman. "Do you do this to Ray?" Dani shrugged. "What does that mean?"  
  
"I talk," Dani said. "What comes out of my mouth differs every time."  
  
"You are an odd person," Janine commented. The blonde grinned than went back to doing pilates. "I didn't mean that as a compliment. You truly are an odd person. I don't know what goes on in that mind of yours, but sometimes you've gotta act like an actual human being. Not like an alien from another planet."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. You sound like Peter when he's complaining about Egon's word usage," the blonde muttered. Egon's cousin looked back at Melnitz. "See now you're taking your anger out on me. You're accusing me of stupid things because you're mad at Egon and can't tell him what's on your mind. Or at least won't."  
  
"I am not," Janine protested. She turned away from the blonde and saw Slimer coming into the living room munching on a bag of chips. "Slimer, I told you not to eat in here and those are my chips. You didn't ask."  
  
"But, Janine," Slimer burbled.  
  
"No, Slimer. Eat in the kitchen and give me back my chips." She got off the couch and took the chips from the green ghost as the woman walked out of the living room. Dani looked at the entity and shook her head.  
  
"Sorry, spud. She's a little mad," Dani said. "And she's taking it out on the wrong people."  
  
"Peter?" Slimer said.  
  
"You'd think that," Dani responded with a nod. "But it's Egon."  
  
"Egon?"  
  
"Yup. Our favorite mad scientist and Janine's boyfriend. She lied to him and now she's mad at him. Funny how everything works out that way." Slimer stared at her. "Of course, it's nothing you'll ever have to deal with. Unless there's some girl ghost you haven't mentioned." The ghost looked away. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Hungry," Slimer answered. He floated out of the living room and the young woman sighed than went back to her workout.  
  
****  
  
Later that night...  
  
"I'm telling you, Egon, that I want nothing to do with that thing," Peter said as he and the guys got out of Ecto-1. "I didn't want anything to do with it when I saw. I was against investigating it, picking it up, putting it in the car and bringing it home. So if you need someone to help you carry it upstairs don't look at me."  
  
"Peter, it's an extremely fascinating find," Egon responded. "The readings I picked up were none like I've ever seen."  
  
"You say that, Spengs, than we get some kind of trouble," Dr. Venkman replied. "And you know how I feel when we get into that kind of trouble."  
  
"We won't get into any trouble," Ray told his friend. "It's just a piece of history that we're going to do a little research on. It's not often we get a chance to look at something that won't bite back."  
  
"Man, that's possibly the worst thought you could mention," Winston interjected. "Pete could be right though. You got weird readings, Egon. That should ring a few alarms off the bat." He looked at Dr. Stantz. "Ray, sometimes history is left alone. Especially history you dig up."  
  
"Well, what are we supposed to do with it now?" Dr. Stantz asked. "We can't take it back to the governor's house. It was the reason he called us out there. That and the ghosts that were making a mess of the mansion."  
  
"We caught them and got paid," Peter said. "Our job is done. Studying some weird coffin looking thing isn't in my job description. I save the world from a few apocalypses and than I sleep. I averted a possible apocalypse now I'm going to bed." The psychologist went over to the stairs and started up them. Winston looked at his watch.  
  
"Yeah, it's after one," Zeddemore agreed. "I'm gonna hit the sack too."  
  
"What about the sarcophagus?" Ray asked. Winston glanced at the back of Ecto than at the stairs.  
  
"We'll move it in the morning," Winston replied. "I may not be happy about the thing, but I won't deny you guys your fun."  
  
"Oh, I really hope that isn't the only fun thing in their lives." The three Ghostbusters still on the first floor looked toward the voice and saw Dani coming out of her bedroom wearing a blue pair of pajama pants with a matching blue tank top. "I was wondering when you guys would get home. I kinda gave up waiting around midnight. Janine was here, but she left about ten-thirty." She walked up to Ray and kissed him.  
  
"You're fun," Ray told her. "Just another kind of fun." The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Please don't make me explain it."  
  
"I won't," Dani replied.  
  
"Did Janine seem upset about our interrupted afternoon?" Egon asked. His cousin looked over at him.  
  
"I can't tell a lie, but I also can't tell you what she said," Dani answered. "You'll just have to talk to her."  
  
"I certainly plan to make it up to her," Dr. Spengler said. "Perhaps a visit to the museum. There's going to be a lecture series by Dr. Frank Lorenzo on..." His cousin covered his mouth and the rest of his sentence came out muffled.  
  
"Okay, lecture series," Dani started. "Bad idea. I don't care what's on. You just don't take someone to those unless they want to go. If Janine suggested you go see Dr. Lorenzo than that's a good sign she wants to go. If she didn't mention him than avoid it altogether so you don't get into trouble." Egon removed her hand.  
  
"Thank you for the warning," Egon replied. "I shall attempt to find something else for the two of us to enjoy."  
  
"Just think what Janine would want," Dani told him. She yawned. "I'm going back to bed. If you're lucky I might get up tomorrow and make breakfast. Waffles, eggs and bacon. Perhaps if I feel really nice even crepes."  
  
"Count me in," Winston said. She grinned at him than went to her bedroom.  
  
"Hey, what about me?" Ray asked. She glanced back at him and smiled. He returned it and followed the young woman into her bedroom.  
  
"Maybe you should try taking a page out of their book," Zeddemore told Dr. Spengler. Egon glanced at his friend. "Just a suggestion."  
  
"I would, but unfortunately I need a translator," Egon retorted. Winston chuckled. "I only wish I was kidding, but at times those two seem to reside on another planet."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean, man," Winston agreed. "I only wish my relationship with Tammy was that way, but I just can't do it."  
  
"I believe for now the formula for their relationship shall remain a mystery," Egon said. He yawned. "I also believe it's time to get some rest."  
  
"No argument there." The two Ghostbusters went up the stairs and turned out the lights in the firehouse signaling to the rest of New York the Ghostbusters weren't to be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.  
  
****** To be continued... (It will definitely get more interesting.) 


	2. Breakfast Ruined

The next morning the Ghostbusters secretary walked into the firehouse and stopped. Not because she smelt the aroma of all the food wafting down to the bottom floor, but rather at the sight of three men in their pajamas attempting to carry a rather large boxy item up the stairs. Egon was on one of the lower steps as Ray and Winston were closer to the top. She walked around Ecto-1 and to the bottom of the stairs in an attempt to get a better look at the lifting project.  
  
"Ray, lift your corner," Winston said between his teeth.  
  
"I am," Ray replied with a grunt. "Egon isn't lifting his."  
  
"I am, gentlemen," Egon responded. "The problem is that we've misjudged our strength and perhaps the distance from the bottom floor to the lab."  
  
"Why can't you get Dr. V. to help?" Janine asked. Egon looked at the woman as if it were the first time he'd ever seen a woman. Or even her.  
  
He had the same reaction the first time they had gone out on a formal date as a couple and she answered her door in a gown she had spent a week shopping for and the hairdo that Dani had helped her get done. The usually eloquent physicist stuttered a few moments before he finally was able to compliment her. He sentence was simple, but beautiful to the woman's ears.  
  
Now the scientist just looked embarrassed. It wasn't like the secretary hadn't seen him in pajamas before. In fact she had even seen him sleeping in the pajamas, but that was part of an elaborate joke on Dr. Venkman's part. A joke that brought a few horrible memories for everyone.  
  
"Janine, I didn't know you were here," Egon said almost stumbling over the words. He cleared his throat. "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning yourself," Melnitz responded. "What are you doing?"  
  
"We're trying to get this up to the lab," Dr. Stantz answered.  
  
"Well, I figured that much," Janine stated. "I don't remember seeing it come in yesterday. Did the UPS guy come by early this morning?"  
  
"They found at the governor's estate," Winston told her. "They wanted to bring it home and study it. The only problem is getting up to the lab so they can study it."  
  
"And Peter isn't helping because he has no interest in it," Egon added. "He said his job was done and all he plans to do is sleep."  
  
"And eat!" Dr. Venkman included loudly from somewhere upstairs.  
  
"Hey, that's our food," Ray protested. "You shouldn't get to eat unless you're going to help us." Dr. Stantz set down his corner of the old and large box-like item. Winston and Egon did the same as they made sure it didn't fall down the stairs. They all stared upward as a sound of a scuffle could be heard.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Let go!"  
  
"No, you let go!" There was a loud bang followed by a horrible screeching noise and the scuffle noises stopped. A few moments later Ray appeared back on the stairs with Peter in tow. Both were covered in a bit of green ectoplasm and looked a bit scared.  
  
"What happened?" Winston inquired.  
  
"Dani's punishing me," Peter answered. "I have to help if I want to eat. I was in the middle of eating one of the best crepes I have ever tasted in my life than Mr. Boy Scout had to ruin it here by scaring Slimer who dropped the eggs all over the floor. Dani got mad and now I have to help if I want to eat."  
  
"If you keep whining you won't get to eat at all!" Dani yelled from upstairs.  
  
"Peter, lift," Egon instructed. The psychologist stuck out his tongue than grabbed a corner and helped pick up the item. The four men continued up the stairs and headed to the lab with the large box.  
  
Janine started up the stairs as they disappeared from view. She made it to the second floor and stopped at the table outside the kitchen to put down her purse and took off her long, black sweater. Setting it on the back on one of the chairs. She went into the kitchen where Dani was still working on the rest of breakfast. Slimer hovered in front of a plate with a large stack of waffles. He had a serious look on his green face.  
  
"Hey," Dani greeted with a grin. "Want some breakfast?"  
  
"You won't make me carry anything?" Janine asked.  
  
"Nah," the blonde answered. "I was just using what little power I have around here. I dangle food and I get results."  
  
"Just don't let them catch on," Janine suggested.  
  
"I won't. Grab a plate and take whatever you'd like. There are waffles, crepes, eggs and bacon. I even have a coffee cake in the oven."  
  
"Geez, you're just trying to show me up." Dani shook her head with a smile. "Well, it all smells good." The secretary grabbed a plate off a stack laying on the counter next to the sink.  
  
"And if the guys can't finish it all we have Slimer," Dani said. "Hey, spud, let Janine at the waffles."  
  
"Aye, aye." The green ghost saluted. He moved aside as Janine took two waffles. She moved on to the plate of bacon and grabbed a few pieces. The redhead walked out of the kitchen and sat down at the table than started to eat.  
  
"Hey, how come you get to eat?" Janine looked up to see the guys returning from the lab. "I was eating and I was told to stop."  
  
"Stop complaining, Peter," Dani interjected walking out of the kitchen with her own plate of food. "You can eat all you want now. Everything's ready except for the coffee cake made to the specifications of Winston's mother's recipe."  
  
"Let's see if it tastes as good as hers," Winston challenged. Dani rolled her eyes and sat down at the table. He followed his friends into the kitchen and the four men returned to the table a few moments later with their plates stacked with food. Ray sat down next to Dani as Egon sat down next to Janine. Winston and Peter both took one of the ends of the table. The firehouse was quiet for a moment as the group enjoyed their delicious homemade breakfast.  
  
"Uh, Janine?" Egon said interrupting the stillness that had settled upon the group. Everyone at the table including the woman he was addressing looked at him. He squirmed a bit in his seat at all the eyes intently looking at him, waiting for the next words to exit his mouth.  
  
"Yes, Egon?" Janine replied.  
  
"I apologize sincerely for the event that occurred yesterday during our time alone," Dr. Spengler started. "And I wish to..."  
  
"Wait," she responded. "Can I stop you right there?"  
  
"Why? Did I say something wrong? Are you still upset?" Egon inquired.  
  
"I'd rather not discuss anything in front of everyone else," his girlfriend answered. "They don't need to know everything we do. It's bad enough Peter walked in on us yesterday."  
  
"I drew the short straw," Dr. Venkman protested. "Believe me. I wouldn't have walked in on you guys on purpose, but one of us had to and it ended up being me."  
  
"I appreciate that, but still. There's a line..." Dani choked on her food.  
  
"It's the dreaded line again," the young woman whispered eerily. Janine gave the blonde a look just as the egg timer in the kitchen went off. "Oh, the coffee cake. Excuse me." She quickly hopped up out of her seat and walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Egon, if we could talk about this later when not everyone is listening and throwing snide comments in our direction," she glanced at the remaining people at the table, "I'd appreciate it. Right now I'd like to finish my breakfast than maybe get a little work done. You guys might get paid the big bucks, but I have to use my little bucks to pay for my apartment's rent."  
  
"Very well," Dr. Spengler replied. The two went back to eating not noticing the look exchanged by the other three men at the table. Dani started back into the area with the coffee cake pan in her hands.  
  
"Who's ready for..." She never finished her sentence as she dropped the pan suddenly and grabbed her head with a scream. "NO!!" The coffee cake hit the floor and crumbled as it fell out. Dani's knees buckled as the vision inside her head became more violent. "No! Stop!" Egon's cousin fell to the floor and her body racked with pain as the vision became more powerful.  
  
"Dani!" Ray shouted. He leapt out of his seat followed by the others. The engineer knelt down next to her and grabbed Dani by the shoulders. She looked at him for a split second before her body went through another uncontrollable spastic attack. One hand hit Egon across the face knocking his glasses off and they hit the wall next to the kitchen's entrance causing both lenses to shatter. Dani's hands grabbed her head once again.  
  
"Don't touch it, Janine!" She screamed.  
  
"Touch what!?!" Janine shouted. The young woman didn't answer, but rather continued to move wildly and mutter different words.  
  
"She's going though some kind of shock," Peter said. "We need to find some way to calm her."  
  
"How?" Winston asked. "She isn't exactly responded to talking."  
  
"Than we'll have to get to her a hospital," Dr. Venkman replied.  
  
"It's the most logical solution," Egon agreed.  
  
"Don't touch it," Dani gasped. Ray looked at his girlfriend than at Dr. Spengler.  
  
"Let's go," he said quietly. 


	3. A Few Details Revealed

Janine glanced at her watch once more than looked up at the four Ghostbusters in the waiting room. They looked a bit ridiculous still in their pajamas with their Ghostbuster jackets and various types of shoes including work boots and slippers. Peter and Ray were talking about something as they sat next to each other. Winston was a few seats away and closer to her, reading a magazine. Egon was standing next to the doorway watching various people go by or at least attempting to. He looked the sillies in his long nightshirt, the bruise forming under his right eye and squinting at everything he looked toward. He had yet to replace the glasses Dani had broken earlier when she gave him the bruise. The physicist turned to look in her direction, squinted than walked over to the woman.  
  
"Janine," he said. She guessed it was to make sure he was actually talking to her rather than to some other random redhead in the waiting room. The idea to play with the physicist crossed her mind, but she ignored the thought.  
  
"Yes, Egon," she responded. The Ghostbuster sat down in the chair next to her.  
  
"Are you okay?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"I should probably be asking you the same thing," Janine replied. "You've got a nasty bruise forming under your eye and you can barely see anything you look at."  
  
"I didn't have time to find my spare glasses," Egon told her. He gently touched the bruise than moved his hand to take hers. She watched him as he hesitated before speaking. "That warning was for you, Janine. Obviously something of utmost importance to create such a reaction."  
  
"Possibly big trouble on the horizon," Janine agreed in a soft voice.  
  
"Big trouble that could be coming for you," Dr. Spengler added. "Is there something you might know?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Melnitz asked.  
  
"I'm inquiring to whether or not something may have happened recently to you or around you that could instigate such an intense vision for Dani," Egon said.  
  
"So you're saying it's my fault Dani started flipping out?"  
  
"No. Of course not." Egon cleared his throat before continuing. "It's just that you've run into a few problems the past few years and..." Janine yanked her hand away from Dr. Spengler's grasp and quickly stood up.  
  
"And you think I might have done something stupid again," the secretary finished. "Damn it. Egon, I thought you trusted me." Egon stood as well and squinted at the woman as he talked to her.  
  
"I do trust, but unfortunately there have been a few incidents that don't work to you favor."  
  
"That is the stupidest, most idiotic thing you have possibly ever said in all the years I've known you, Dr. Spengler. And there have been some pretty stupid sentences passing from your lips, but I was too polite to say anything. There are a few incidents that don't exactly count in your favor either, Egon. Or Ray's. Or Winston's. And even Dr. V. You're trying to find someone or something to blame for what happened and I'm the easy target just because she said my name. That makes me feel real good, Egon. I hope it makes you feel better too."  
  
"No, Janine. What I meant is..." Egon searched for the appropriate words that wouldn't make his girlfriend anymore upset.  
  
"I know what you meant," Janine said angrily. "And I really don't appreciate it."  
  
"Hey, you guys okay?" Winston interjected joining the two. He had only been half listening to the conversation, but could tell it wasn't going very well.  
  
"We're fine, Winston," Dr. Spengler answered looking blindly in the direction of his friend.  
  
"No, we aren't," Melnitz argued. "Egon's trying to blame this on me."  
  
"I was merely pointing out a few incidents where Janine had a lapse in judgment since she didn't use her common sense to the best of her ability," Egon stated. As soon as the last word left his mouth he felt a sharp, stinging pain coming from his left cheek.  
  
"You jerk," Janine said. Egon's jaw dropped as he stared at the woman and held a hand to his face.  
  
"Whoa, what's going on over here?" Peter asked. He and Ray joined the small group standing in the waiting room. They were getting looks from the people walking in and out. Janine looked at him with her eyes full of fury.  
  
"Apparently, I don't use my common sense and I have poor judgment," the woman informed him hotly. "I'd be careful what you say or do because Egon just might stab you in the back with it." She glanced at Dr. Spengler than grabbed her purse and walked out of the room. Egon fell back into the seat he had been sitting in moments before. His friends exchanged a look than focused on the physicist.  
  
"I guess those glasses were you secret to being smart," Peter commented. Egon looked up at the psychologist. "Sorry."  
  
"I honestly didn't mean to say that," Egon told him. "I was trying to distinguish whether or not Janine possibly knew what Dani was talking about. Unfortunately, I spoke incorrectly and made Janine quite upset."  
  
"Just don't say anything stupid for about the next two weeks," Peter responded. "That's usually how it works. Maybe buy her some flowers."  
  
"You want me to go find her?" Ray asked.  
  
"Yes, please," Dr. Spengler said. "Whatever's happening involves her to an unknown degree and there are still many unanswered questions she may know the answers to without realizing it." Dr. Stantz nodded and started to leave the waiting room when he bumped into a petite woman nurse with brunette hair.  
  
"Oh, sorry," he apologized.  
  
"No. It's okay. I think you're one of the people I'm looking for," she said. "You're one of the Ghostbusters, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Ray answered. He glanced at the upper arm of his jacket where the logo was located than back at the nurse. "Is it about Dani?"  
  
"Yes, Dr. Toran asked me to tell you all about her condition," she answered. The nurse looked at the chart in her hand. "Her spasms weren't caused by something they could detect medically. He said something about ghosts and ectoplasm, but I didn't understand what he was talking about. Anyway, he gave her mild sedative and she's a little bit out of it, but you all are free to go see her. She's in room 213 down the hall and to the left."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I also sent a woman with red hair and glasses to her room as well. Please, tell me you know who that is. I'd really rather not get into any trouble."  
  
"Oh, yeah. That's Janine. Our secretary. Thank you." The nurse nodded and left the room. Ray went back over to his friends. "Hey, guys, we can go see Dani."  
  
"What about Janine?" Egon asked.  
  
"She's already in there," Dr. Stantz told him.  
  
"Than let's go," Peter said. "Lead the way, Tex." The engineer nodded and walked out of the waiting room with his friends in tow. Egon had a hand on Winston's shoulder so he would have less of chance of running into someone or something in the hospital corridors. Ray made it to the room and opened the door. He spotted Janine on the other side of the room who glared at the men as they walked in.  
  
"Hi, Janine," Dr. Stantz greeted. The redhead didn't reply, but instead sat down in a chair on the side of the bed she stood.  
  
"Hey, I got my wish," Dani said in quiet amusement. "I was asking for four hunky guys in pajamas."  
  
"You and Janine were the only ones who actually got a chance to get dressed this morning," Winston responded. "We barely had a chance to even get shoes on." She looked down at their shoes and stifled some laughter.  
  
"How do you feel?" Ray asked.  
  
"I feel loopy," Dani answered with a nod than rubbed her head. "There are a lot of thoughts floating in here and it's hard to keep them straight."  
  
"Just do what I do," Peter said. She gave him a look.  
  
"What is that exactly?" The blonde inquired.  
  
"Throw out the useless ones," Dr. Venkman told her.  
  
"I think in your case you keep the useless ones," Winston interjected. Peter glared at his friend.  
  
"I think it might be the sedative," Ray said. "It kinda slows down the system like alcohol. At least you're coherent." She giggled. "What's so funny?"  
  
"That's a funny word," Dani answered. "Coherent. I remember I was watching this show and this one guy accuses this other guy of being incoherent and the guy says he isn't incoherent. He just wasn't saying what he meant very well."  
  
"Perhaps we should avoid words like coherent and focus on the issue at hand," Egon suggested. His cousin looked at him than took his hand and glanced at the palm. "Dani, what are you doing?"  
  
"There isn't a tissue in your hand," she said. "How can we focus on it if it's not there?"  
  
"He just wants you to tell him what stupid problem I'm going to myself in to," Janine interjected. "He's afraid I'm going cause another apocalypse." Dani turned to the woman and gave her a surprised look.  
  
"Oh, Janine, you're sick," Dani whispered sadly.  
  
"What are you talking about?" The secretary asked. "I'm fine. I haven't been sick in a long time."  
  
"Maybe she's talking about what will happen," Zeddemore suggested. "She said there were a couple of things swimming through her head. Whatever happened in her vision is big and there's a lot of information Dani could tell us."  
  
"If we can get her to focus," Dr. Venkman said. "She's acting like she's had a few."  
  
"Dani, look at me," Ray told the young woman. "I need you to focus on me and listen to what I'm saying." She turned back over and pushed a button on her bed that brought the top up a bit allowing her to sit up a little. She gave Dr. Stantz a serious look as she looked at him intently. "We need you to tell us what you saw in your vision."  
  
"In my vision," she repeated sluggishly. "I saw a lot of things. It's really kinda blurry."  
  
"Try to focus on everything and tell us what isn't blurry," the youngest Ghostbuster told her. "Can you do that?" She nodded and her head went up and down like a rag doll's. The young woman used her right hand pointer finger to push herself back up right.  
  
"Okay, I saw Janine," Ray's girlfriend stated as she squinted her eyes and furrowed her brow. Her features went from serious to almost one of confusion as she continued, "And she was crying."  
  
"Why was she crying?" Egon asked. His cousin looked uncomfortable in answering the question. "Never mind. What else did you see Dani? Why was your vision so rough?"'  
  
"You look rough," she replied. The bruises seemed to be almost forming black eyes around Egon's blue eyes. "Did I give you both of those?" Dr. Spengler shook his head and could feel the pain caused by the gesture.  
  
"No, you gave me one of them on accident and the other I received for a very good reason," the physicist answered glancing at Janine than focusing back on his cousin. "Let's not worry about them right now. You're the focal point here. We need to know what you know."  
  
"What I know about the vision right? And not all the other tidbits in my head?"  
  
"Yes, Dani," Egon sighed. "Just the vision."  
  
"Sorry. I'm trying to think straight here, but the medication is still not helping."  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Winston said. "Just keep yourself calm and try to think about this one thing. Just the vision."  
  
"Yeah," she muttered. "I saw a lot of Janine and there was a demon. I think it was in a book though. Janine just looked really sick and sad. She touched something. It looked like a piece of jewelry."  
  
"What did this jewelry look like?" Peter asked.  
  
"It was shiny and clear," Dani answered. "I really couldn't tell if it was attached to a chain or if it was in a jewelry box. I'm just not sure. Janine was just in a lot of pain and the demon was really scary. It's also powerful. I think it had been awakened after being put to sleep by some peoples from long ago." She closed her eyes and leaned back in the pillows. "An ancient time. Before America was created. Before Columbus landed here. Almost near the separation of the continents from Pangaea."  
  
"I don't believe there were books back millions of years ago," Egon told her. "Perhaps the book is more recent, but the demon is still possibly very old."  
  
"Maybe," his cousin replied. "I don't know. I'm just getting these senses about it and everything. It's like my vision has gone surround sound complete with high definition picture."  
  
"Okay, someone needs some hobbies outside the firehouse," Peter said. The blonde looked at the psychologist.  
  
"I have plenty of hobbies. I go to school," Dani responded in defense.  
  
"And watch movies," Dr. Venkman shot back. "I didn't realize you wanted to become the next Roger Ebert." He thought about it a moment. "Though if you did maybe you could help me with Ghostbusters 3.  
  
"Maybe we can get back on topic here," Zeddemore interjected. "Dani, is there anything else that might be helpful? Something small. Something that doesn't seem to fit." She furrowed her brow as she contemplated the question.  
  
"I don't know, Winston. I mean it all seems like it fits together, but I can't really describe everything. There's just so much information to process."  
  
"Guys, get off her case," Janine told them firmly. "You've interrogated her enough."  
  
"Janine, are you alright?" Dani asked. The redhead looked at the young woman. "Seriously, what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing," Melnitz answered. "Nothing you need to worry about. I'll see you tomorrow. I've gotta get out of here." The secretary walked around the bed than weaved her way through Winston and Peter as she headed out of the room.  
  
"Wait, Janine," Ray said. The woman stopped in the middle of the doorway. She didn't move for a moment than finally glanced over her shoulder at the engineer.  
  
"What, Ray?"  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Home. Don't worry though. I'll be at work tomorrow." Dr. Stantz glanced at his friends who didn't say anything.  
  
"Okay. I guess we'll see you tomorrow," he said trying to be cheerful. He gave her a small grin that didn't seem to have any effect on the secretary. She sighed before continuing out of the hospital room.  
  
"I'm just gonna take a big giant leap here and say that wasn't good," Dani commented from her spot on the bed. Egon looked back at his cousin. All he could make out the blonde blur of her hair. "I leave you all for just a few moments and all hell breaks loose before the hell in my head actually does."  
  
"Hopefully, we can stop that before that actually occurs or even has the opportunity to do so," Dr. Spengler responded. Dani looked at her cousin. She wished he'd put on some glasses and that she could take back the bruise she had given. The young woman wondered for only have a second where the other had come from. The reason had just walked out the door.  
  
"Yeah," the young whispered in agreement. 


	4. Janine's Decision

Janine walked into her apartment flipping through the mail she had picked up from the box downstairs. She found a postcard from Hawaii and looked at the back.  
  
"Thanks, sis," Janine muttered. "I'm so glad you and your husband are having fun. Something I'll probably never have." She went into the kitchen and hit the play button on her answering machine. The woman picked up a box of crackers sitting on the counter and began to eat them as the messages played.  
  
"Janine, its Dani," the blonde's voice said over the machine. "I hope you're okay. I'm sorry if anything I said freaked you out. I guess I'll just talk to you tomorrow unless you call. Than I'll talk to you sooner." There was a pause and Janine thought the message was over. "Sorry. I gotta go do research. Or at least help. I'll probably get out of it. Anyway, see you tomorrow." The machine clicked and the next message started.  
  
"Hi, Janine. It's Ray. I know I'm sounding repetitive here, but if there's anything you know that might help us please tell us. I'm not saying that you do know anything or that this is your fault. Aw, geez, I'm sorry. Never mind. I'll talk to you later. I'm really sorry." Dr. Stantz's message ending and Janine sighed. She knew Ray meant well, but he always hard time on occasion actually saying what he wanted to.  
  
"Janine," Egon said as the third message started. The woman didn't even bother to listen to the rest of the message. She quickly hit the delete button.  
  
"Janine, dear, it's your mother. I was calling to say hi and remind you that you promised to come by this weekend to check on everything," Mrs. Melnitz told her. "Feel free to bring Egon..." The redhead hit the delete button on the rest of her mother's message.  
  
"Yeah, I remember," the woman muttered. Her answering machine beeped at her.  
  
"End of messages," an automated voice said. Janine deleted the other two messages and put back the box of crackers on the counter.  
  
Melnitz walked out of the kitchen and went to the messy desk she had placed next one of the windows in her apartment. Her eyes fell on a picture frame with her and Egon in their jumpsuits both covered in ectoplasm putting away a trap into the containment unit. Dani had taken the picture randomly when she had been assigned by Peter to make a new scrapbook. As for what other pictures ended up in the scrapbook was never revealed and whenever someone asked Egon's cousin she'd giggle. Janine picked up the frame and looked at it a moment than threw it across the room.  
  
"Screw you, Dr. Spengler!" The redhead yelled at it as the frame hit the wall. "You've already done an excellent job of doing that to everyone else already!"  
  
Janine abruptly cleared off some of the other pictures that had anything to with the Ghostbusters and let them hit the floor. All crashing and breaking almost on impact. She didn't care there was going to be glass on the floor and that she would have to clean it up. The woman just didn't want to see any of it anymore. Other various items on the desk were pushed aside as she pulled out a stack of light blue stationary with her name in printed cursive at the top.  
  
Janine sat down in the chair and picked up the Ghostbusters pen from a box Ray had given her when Peter had gone overboard on some merchandise attempt a few months ago. The psychologist had tried to do it when 88MPH Studios had originally planned to release their new comic book, but when the company had delayed the first issue not as many people were interested in spending the money on the stuff Peter had made. She tossed it behind her as she sat down and picked up a pen that had her name in gold print. The woman had never used it because she thought it was ridiculous to have your name on a pen that you'd lose anyway, but had kept it because it had come from a very good friend she had lost contact with years ago.  
  
"You can do this, Melnitz," Janine muttered as she set the pen tip on the paper. "You should have done it a long time ago." She started to write than paused in mid-word.  
  
"No, just keep writing. You want this. You're tired of all the crap they put you through. You've worked to hard to stand for it anymore. It's not just about that two-timing Dr. Spengler. It's about everything." The redhead continued the sentence on the paper and put the period at the end. She sighed and put down the pen.  
  
The secretary stood up than looked out the window and saw fellow New Yorkers below on the sidewalks and in their cars milling about not worrying a bit about the next possible apocalypse. She used to be like that. All she used to care about was her next paycheck, but after working for the Ghostbusters so long her priorities had changed. Maybe that had changed too much and Janine wanted to transform back into the person she was before. Before she ever heard the word Ghostbusters. Before she ever met a ghost. Before she ever made a deal with the devil, so to speak.  
  
"Enough," she murmured sitting back down at the desk. "This is it. It's time to go back to worry about one person, Melnitz. And that's you." The woman picked the pen back and continued writing.  
  
*****  
  
To be continued.... 


	5. Peter's Lecture

Dr. Venkman glanced up from the large and weathered book he had been assigned to read in effort do find some kind of information that could help him and his friends understand what Dani's vision was about. Right now his mind needed a rest from all the reading. Ray and Winston were out to talking to a few of Ray's contacts in hopes of finding something that could help as well. Unfortunately, the problem was the only person who could actually give the proper information could barely interpret what happened in her head. Just like Janine did, Peter had to eventually step in and get his friends off the young woman's case. She was now sleeping in her bed with Slimer keeping an eye on her.  
  
The guys had brought Dani home almost an hour after Janine left the hospital. Almost instantly after arriving they all finally got dressed, ate a late lunch than started to work on research. Egon's cousin did what she could than grew exhausted and was given a reprieve. Peter wished he could go take a nap, but something was keeping him from doing so. It wasn't the book he was reading. Instead it was Dr. Spengler and his rather quick change in attitude over the past few hours. The psychologist looked at the back of his friend's head. Egon was intently focused on the computer screen in front of him.  
  
"Spengs?" Dr. Spengler turned in his chair and looked at his friend sitting across the lab. Peter never realized how big the room really was until he noticed the distance from himself to his friend. The large sarcophagus like item positioned in the middle of the room with all sorts of material sitting on top of it made the lab seem that much more larger. And even emptier in a way to Dr. Venkman.  
  
"Yes, Peter?" Egon's eyes almost seemed to be swollen shut due to the bruises he had received during the day. Peter remembered whenever Egon got hit anywhere near the eye the bruise would form to make it look like he had been punched there. The squinting and colored bruises caused the physicist to almost look like a bad clown. At any other time it would have been funny, but now it just made the Ghostbuster look pitiful.  
  
"Are you okay?" Peter asked. He knew it was a simple question. A question the guys often asked each other and no longer had the same meaning to them anymore. It was the summed up version of whatever any of them really wanted or needed to ask.  
  
"Quite well," Egon answered. "Have you found anything?"  
  
"Egon, you didn't answer my question," Dr. Venkman replied.  
  
"I believe I did, Peter. And than I followed it with a question of my own," Dr. Spengler responded. "Have you discovered any useful information?"  
  
"I'm not going to answer you until I get a better answer from you," Peter said. "I don't buy that you're 'quite well'. You've got two black eyes, a pissed off girlfriend, and a vision that makes just about as much sense as an unexplained phenomenon. There is no way you could be 'quite well'."  
  
"I believe I know how I feel, Peter. And that is how I feel. We don't have time to discuss this. There are more important matters at hand."  
  
"We're taking a break and talking about this. I know it's bothering you and just by ignoring doesn't mean it'll go away. You ought to know that about now. Paying no attention to the problem just makes it that much bigger. I would know. I'm a psychologist. I studied this stuff."  
  
"Is that what you call what you did in college?" Egon retorted with a raised eyebrow. "Studying?"  
  
"Okay, now you're avoiding. Just answer the damn question."  
  
"Very well. I was right." Dr. Venkman was taken aback by this statement. What the hell was Egon right about this time? The physicist may have had quite a few correct hypotheses in the field about a situation, but what did he guess about this time and get right?  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"The personal relationship Janine and I formed has created more strife than is necessary. By doing so it has altered our perception on what is important from day to day. I was a fool to believe the relationship could keep from disrupting anything. Some of today's events could have been avoided if the link was not there," Dr. Spengler explained in a matter-of- fact tone. Peter stared at his friend a moment.  
  
"I think she would have hit you either way. It's got nothing to do with the fact you two are together. You said what was on your mind without thinking. I would have hit you if you said it that way to me. The thing is you practically accused her of releasing some demon we barely have any evidence of and getting herself into trouble. True, she has made a few mistakes, but no one's perfect. You've screwed up on the job, Egon. Ray's done it. Winston's even done it a little. Heck, I'll even admit I've messed up. We get mad, fix the problem, and talk it out until everything's square. Or at least we attempt to.  
  
"You've just gotten mad, a little hurt and are ready to give up on a relationship that took you almost forever to admit was even there. The first time you met her you barely even glanced at her, but I could see that little twinkle in your eye when you talked to her later. You may not be Romeo or completely understand the dynamics of a boy-girl relationship, but you're working on it. Since that first time and every time you've been ready to throw yourself in harm's way if danger heads for her.  
  
"You've gotten jealous, though not obviously to everyone else, when she's gone out with other guys. Face it, Egon. SHE IS the woman you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with and if you can't see it than fine. Just call it quits, but don't blame this on your dad. He may not have been a very emotional man, but at least he found your mother to put up with him. If you do call it quits you're letting her just be another person passing through your life. And I'm through of playing that game and I'd bet money that Ray and Winston won't do it anymore either. Maybe when you're done you can tell us because we wasted a lot of time helping you realize, or at least attempting to, that she's it. So I guess we'll just stop doing that." Peter shook his head as he got out of his chair and closed the book in his hands.  
  
"You know what? Forget it. Just forget I said anything. You're a grown man who makes his own decisions. I just happen to be an innocent bystander. I'm gonna go get something to eat. I'll talk to you later." Dr. Venkman walked out of the lab and Egon watched his friend go.  
  
Dr. Spengler sighed as he stood. He looked at the empty doorway than picked up a CD case from next to his computer and threw it out the door. Egon slammed his fists on the table in front of him. The frustration was building up inside.  
  
"Damn it," Egon muttered. He took off his glasses and was about to rub his eyes when he stopped, putting his glasses back on and looking across the lab. His eyes feel on a small, white cabinet that sat in the corner of the messy lab. Out of all the items in the laboratory that was the one that didn't fit. It was a recent addition that none of the guys noticed or they just never bothered to ask about. The Ghostbuster weaved his way through the lab to that corner and pulled out a silver key from a jumpsuit pocket than inserted it into the lock. The cabinet door opened slowly and revealed to Egon the treasures inside.  
  
"Egon?" Dr. Spengler quickly closed the cabinet door than spun around to see who his visitor was. His cousin stood in the doorway with her Scooby blanket wrapped around her thin frame. "Sorry. Did I interrupt anything?"  
  
"No," Egon answered. "No, you didn't." He turned back around to lock the cabinet than focused his attention fully on the young woman. Her expression was one of both exhaustion and apprehension. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"It's my fault, Egon," Dani said. "It's all my fault. I should have never stayed. I should have never gotten involved. All my staying has caused is trouble." Dr. Spengler sighed and went over to his cousin.  
  
"Dani, you can't possibly think that," Egon told her. "Because it's certainly not true."  
  
"Than why do I get that on some level everyone's ready to tear my head off?" She inquired. "I can't tell them everything and it doesn't help them discover the answer any quicker." Egon placed on his left hand on her right shoulder and she attempted to lay her head on it, but found it uncomfortable to keep her head that way and instead leaned in the doorway.  
  
"Though we may be thwarted from too much progress since you can't tell us everything, we do appreciate the information you have given us," Dr. Spengler said. "We could possibly stop the threat before any major damage occurs."  
  
"Yeah, hopefully," Dani whispered. She shrugged Egon's hand off her shoulder than walked around him and into the lab. The young woman went right for the sarcophagus being used as a table top. "So much for a semi- normal weak at Ghostbuster Central. The Powers to Be decide to give me a mini-movie and throw a tweak in the works."  
  
"You really enjoying speaking in such a way I find hard to understand, don't you?" Egon asked. The blonde turned back to her cousin and gave him an apologetic grin.  
  
"Sorry." She glanced at the phone sitting in the lab. "It's about to ring." Dr. Spengler looked at it as well just as it started to ring.  
  
"I'm not here!" Peter shouted from somewhere within the firehouse. Egon rolled his eyes as he picked up the phone.  
  
"Ghostbusters," Dr. Spengler said unenthusiastically. He quickly looked at Dani who was leafing through a book. "Raymond, I suggest you get home. There's no reason to endanger Winston and yourself more than necessary." Egon rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Gather the information than get back here. I'll see you in about twenty minutes." Egon hung up the phone and turned around. His cousin was looking at him with Go-Ahead-Tell- Me-A-Lie-But-I-Know-The-Truth look.  
  
"Did Ray and Winston run into some trouble?"  
  
"A bit," Egon answered. "I suppose you should ask them for the entire story. I didn't ask for the details."  
  
"This is what I was talking about. Something bad is gonna happen before it probably should and...," Dani started. She stopped and thought a moment narrowing her brow and wrinkling her nose like she smelled something bad. "Never mind. I don't know how to explain it. I just hope you guys can figure out how to stop this from happening."  
  
"Which is our intent," Dr. Spengler replied. "Perhaps you should go get some more rest. You're making less sense than you did this morning."  
  
"When it's over you'll fix it, right?" The young woman asked.  
  
"Fix what?" Egon inquired.  
  
"The thing between you and Janine," she answered. "I notice a little tension this morning, but than again it could be all the chaos that was my brain. Just tell me you'll fix it." Dr. Spengler hesitated a moment before answering. Peter had just lectured him about this subject and now his cousin was hoping everything would be alright. Nothing could ever be perfect, but the young woman took what she could. Anything was better than the previous eighteen years of her life.  
  
"I shall try," Egon replied.  
  
"Good." She headed out of the lab stopping in the doorway to look at the scientist. "I guess if you guys need me again you know where to find me. Just make sure to get me if you make some hot chocolate. I think I could really use some."  
  
"I promise." She grinned at him than walked out of the room. Egon stared at the once again empty doorway and sat back to work. 


	6. Short Interlude

"I told you, Ray," Winston said as the two got out of Ecto after arriving about two hours later than Egon had expected them. "I told you it was a bad idea to go there."  
  
"Well, at least we got some more information," Dr. Stantz replied.  
  
"But not without running into some trouble," Zeddemore responded. "Do you really think that book was worth the fight?"  
  
"Probably not, but we needed it," Ray said. "I'll just have a few bruises in the morning."  
  
"I'm glad you can see the positive side to this, man, because when you're girlfriend finds out she's gonna give you a few more bruises."  
  
"She won't find out," Dr. Stantz told him. "You won't tell her and I won't tell her."  
  
"And how do we explain the extra time?" Winston asked. "Egon thought we'd be back two hours ago."  
  
"He probably stopped paying attention to the clock right after he went back to work. Egon isn't real good with the time when he's in the middle of something," Ray answered.  
  
"I guess it was a good thing that I paid attention," Peter interjected coming out of his office area. "So, you two got into a fight over a book?"  
  
"Once we described the demon and said what we planned to do a few angry nerds tried to persuade us to change our minds," Zeddemore told the psychologist. "They said that they worshipped him and this was the year of his coming. We aren't supposed to stop it or all their planning is ruined."  
  
"But now we have more information," Ray added. "Hopefully it's what we need." Peter walked over to his younger friend and noticed the small bruises on Dr. Stantz's face.  
  
"Geez, please tell me those nerds are running home to their mommies after you guys put them in their place," Dr. Venkman said.  
  
"They were practically in tears," Winston replied. "They cheated a little at the beginning. It wasn't until I pulled out the PKE meter and acted like I was gonna laser out their brains did they stop."  
  
"It almost didn't work," Ray told him. "Winston had to turn it on and the meter started going off like a car alarm. I'm not surprised though. With all the magic and powerful items in the store something's bound to hold some psychokinetic energy."  
  
"Well, you should probably go up and tell Egon the good news," Peter said. "He's been working over time."  
  
"Haven't you been helping?" Dr. Stantz asked.  
  
"I am," Peter answered. "I'm just working away from mad scientist's lair."  
  
"Makes sense," Winston commented. "Let's go see Egon." The three men started up the stairs, heading to the lab.  
  
"Where's Dani?" Ray inquired as he stopped a step behind his friends.  
  
"Sleeping," Peter responded glancing back at his friend. "Or at least pretending to the last time I checked. I sent Slimer in to keep an eye on her."  
  
"You just wanted to keep him out of your hair, didn't you?" Zeddemore said. Peter grinned at his friend.  
  
"Hey, he thinks he's doing an important job and I'm not about to argue with him," Dr. Venkman stated. "Besides what the spud doesn't know won't hurt him. Nothing hurts him. He's a ghost."  
  
"One of these days, Peter, you're gonna regret everything you say about Slimer," Ray told his friend. Peter looked at him.  
  
"And when is that day, Tex? The day you finally teach him how to be useful?" Peter retorted. Ray stuck out his tongue. "Oh, very mature."  
  
"Man, are you guys ever gonna grow-up?" Winston asked. Peter and Ray exchanged a look, they grinned than turned to the African American. He saw the look in their eyes. "Oh, no. Not tonight." Zeddemore quickly turned around and hightailed it up the rest of the stairs with the two Ghostbusters hot on his heels. 


	7. Infected

"Guys, you have a call," Dani told the four Ghostbusters as she walked into the lab about eight thirty the next morning. The four men looked up from their work and at the young woman standing next to the doorway. She noticed the looks they gave her and she glanced down at herself to make sure that the zipper on her jeans was zipped and that her t-shirt wasn't showing more than she absolutely wanted to.  
  
"Dani, I don't believe now is the time to go on a call," Egon said. "We really must focus on the problem at hand."  
  
"You want to tell the mayor no?" Dani asked.  
  
"Geez, with all that power calling I wonder who be on the phone next," Peter commented sarcastically. "Our very own president?"  
  
"I guess we should go," Dr. Stantz said. "Did he say what it was about?"  
  
"He said a lot," his girlfriend replied with mediocre interest. "Half of it was 'blah, blah, I'm the mayor' and the other half was 'blah, blah, election year'."  
  
"Dee, what did he actually say?" Winston inquired.  
  
"He said your butts were screwed if you didn't get down to his office and get rid of the thing that's creating havoc," Dani answered.  
  
"Is there perchance a better description of this thing?" Dr. Spengler responded. His cousin looked down at the pink piece of paper in her hand than squeezed her face as she thought hard.  
  
"It was ugly, smelly, and messy," she told him.  
  
"Ohh, my favorite," Dr. Venkman retorted mockingly. He got out of his seat and stretched. Peter walked towards the door. "Is there coffee?"  
  
"I just made a fresh pot," Dani said. Peter gave her a pat on the shoulder and left the lab. Winston followed suit.  
  
"I never thought I'd be actually glad to go on a bust," Winston said. "Or even to see the mayor. I still hope he doesn't hold that incident a few months ago over our heads. It wasn't like there was anything we could do about it." He walked out. Ray started for the door as well.  
  
"We also didn't realize that it was his wife standing there," Ray added. He gave Dani a kiss than headed after Winston. "Besides if he wants to blame anyone he should blame Peter." Dani looked at Egon who was giving her a steady look as if he was trying to see what she was thinking.  
  
"I want you to promise me that if anything happens while we are gone you will call immediately," Dr. Spengler stated. "And I honestly mean anything ranging from a strange reading on the PKE meter to another vision. Or even the indication of a vision."  
  
"I promise," Dani replied. "I know you want to figure this out, but sometimes it also helps if you step back a moment and think about something else."  
  
"Yes, I do know that," Egon responded. "I just happen to believe now is not one of those times."  
  
"Because of Janine?" Dr. Spengler hesitated a moment before answering the young woman. He had done the same yesterday and hoped she wasn't catching on.  
  
"Yes," Egon stated. "Janine is a very important person and it would be a shame to lose her." The blonde made a face at his comment.  
  
"You're talking like you only know her by acquaintance. Is there something going on I should know about? I realize I live here, work here and date one of the Ghostbusters, but I still don't know everything."  
  
"No, there's nothing to be concerned about," Egon replied. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. They still ached from yesterday, but at least the bruises were fading however dark shadows were replacing them. He put the glasses back on and saw the suspicious look his cousin wore. "You mustn't worry, Dani. I'm quite sure everything will turn out alright."  
  
"Yeah, sure," the young woman agreed. "You need to get out of here. The mayor's expecting you and I'm guessing you don't want to be in anymore hot water with him than you already are."  
  
"Quite right," Dr. Spengler stated. He started for the door, but was stopped when the young woman grabbed him by the arm. Egon looked at her. "What is it?"  
  
"Give Ray a kick in the pants for me," Dani told him with a small grin as she let go of his arm. "I saw those attempts to cover the bruises. He needs to work on that."  
  
"I'll be sure to tell him," Egon replied. She nodded and he walked out of the lab.  
  
Thirty minutes later the guys were leaving the firehouse in Ecto and heading to the mayor's office. Dani watched them leave as she took a seat at Janine's desk. She made herself comfortable in the spinning desk chair doing one quick spin than picked up the sci-fi novel sitting next to the computer and went to reading. After about ten minutes of the normal noises the firehouse made when everything else was quiet she heard the familiar clacking of a pair of shoes. The young woman didn't bother to look up from her book.  
  
"Good morning, Janine," Dani greeted still focused on her book. "I hope you're alright. The guys really haven't gotten far with the research, but they may have and just haven't told me yet. Don't worry about coming in late though. Nobody said anything. And if you're wondering where the guys are they just went out on a job."  
  
"Good. That'll just make this all that much easier," Janine replied. Dani glanced over her book and saw the angry look the secretary wore. It was the look the redhead usually saved whenever Peter had messed up something. Or when Slimer had slimed her outfit so bad she actually had to throw it out. The blonde was tempted to escape back to her book, but the fact Janine was mad and Dani didn't know about what initiated the motive for young woman not to put down the book.  
  
"I'm going to state the obvious here and say you're mad," Dani said with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice. Janine gave her a look and Egon's cousin was now realizing the appeal to hide under the desk.  
  
"Of course, I'm mad, Dani," Janine responded. "I came to a realization last night that I could have possibly a lot of problems if this hadn't happened."  
  
"If what hadn't happened?" Ray's girlfriend inquired.  
  
"It's really none of your business," Janine said. "I don't need to explain any of this to you. Nor do I need to justify myself. I've made a decision and that's it. There is no going back. Not now. Not ever."  
  
"Alright, fine, but could I at least have a hint?" Dani asked.  
  
"Here's your hint," Melnitz started. "I quit." Dani's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Congratulations you are now the new Ghostbusters receptionist, secretary, maid, cook, accountant, and whatever else the guys make you do because they can't do it themselves. Have fun." The blonde couldn't think of anything to utter as the redhead turned and started up the stairs. Dani watched her disappear to the second floor than smacked herself in the forehead.  
  
"That's bad, Dani," she muttered to herself. "You have to stop her. But what the heck should I say?" The young woman glanced at the phone. "Maybe I could call them." She reached for the phone than stopped. "No. Only if it's an emergency and it kinda is. Just how much an emergency though?"  
  
Janine made her way to the lab as Dani argued with herself on the first floor. The redhead fought every inclination to tear the place to pieces. Everything called to her and reminded the woman of some event she had been involved in over the past years. Memories Janine wanted to forget about. She walked over to Egon's computer and her eyes fell on the set of pictures that had been taped to the border of the computer screen. They were from a photo booth at Coney Island. The two of them had gone one day and suddenly it started raining. The couple looked for the nearest shelter, which had been a photo booth. They spent thirty minutes inside it taking pictures and just talking. She gently fingered the photos than jerked her hand away and dug into her purse.  
  
"Have a happy life, Dr. Spengler," she grumbled.  
  
"Touch me," a deep voice whispered almost directly into the woman's ear. She froze and glanced behind her. No one else seemed to be in the room with her and Janine went back to her purse. "Touch me." She stopped again and nearly stomped her foot.  
  
"Dr. Venkman, if this some kind of sick joke you better stop right now or I'll give you a bruise to rival Egon's," Janine warned. The woman looked around again once more. The lab was a mess and it was no surprise to her. When the guys researched somehow everything from orange juice containers to toothbrushes end up in the lab. And everything was used to sort. The large object she had watched the guys carry up the day before was covered in notes and open books. She sighed and went back to her purse.  
  
"Touch," the voice whispered again. Janine ignored it as she pulled out an envelope from her purse and set it on the computer's keyboard. "Come to me."  
  
"Shut up," Janine said as she spun around. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you..." The woman stopped in mid-sentence as she felt a cold chill go up her spine.  
  
"Come," the voice told her almost angrily. "Now." As if she had no control over her own body the woman started walking toward the large box-like item.  
  
"Stop," Janine said in a soft voice as her heart started to pound in her chest in fear. "Stop." She dropped her purse on the floor and its contents spilt out on the lab floor than swiped the books and papers off the sarcophagus creating an even bigger mess in the laboratory. The woman noticed a pentagram made of glowing green clear gems at the end of the box nearest to her. "Dani, you were right."  
  
"Touch," the voice insisted.  
  
"No," Janine said. She attempted to step back, but her shoes seemed to be firmly stuck in place. The woman wanted to scream, but her voice seemed to have disappeared as well. Her hand trembled as it reached for the gems.  
  
"Not an emergency," Dani said as she read her book. "Just Janine blowing off some steam. Peter told me she's quit a ton of times only to come back the next day. She might have just gone upstairs to yell at a few inanimate objects and than she'll come down, leave and come again tomorrow saying that she just needed some time to think." Dani nodded. "Yeah, that's it. No emergency. Just Janine being Janine." She sighed and focused back on the words in the sci-fi book. The young woman's attention was once again thwarted when she heard a loud banging noise come from above her. She nearly fell out of the chair as she looked up.  
  
"Oh, that could be bad," Egon's cousin murmured. She set down her book and started for the stairs. Dani paused at the bottom step than looked around. She spotted a proton pack leaning against the outside of Ray's locker. Hopefully it was in working order and not going to explode once she tried to use it. The young woman started for it, but stopped when a familiar wail came towards her. She stood up straight to receive a face full of green ectoplasm. "Aw, Slimer." She instantly wiped away some of the spud's slime. "There has got to a better way to get people's attention."  
  
"Janine," Slimer sputtered. "Janine sleeping."  
  
"Sleeping? You slime me just to tell me she's sleeping?" Dani repeated. "You're really asking for it, aren't you?"  
  
"Bad," Slimer said. "Bad feeling." As the little ghost spoke the young woman felt a cold chill go up on her own spine and not because the ectoplasm was dripping down her neck, but rather from something she couldn't see.  
  
"Is there a ghost here, Slimer?" Dani asked in an urgent whisper.  
  
"No ghost," he answered. "Something in Egon's lab." Dani looked at him than up.  
  
"Let's go," she said still glancing at the ceiling. The young woman and the ghost made their way to the stairs and started heading up. The temperature in the firehall seemed to fall with each step upward. "Okay, wishing I had grabbed the proton pack." She felt the goose bumps form on her arms and wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm. The young woman and the ghost reached the laboratory to find the double doors were closed. "It's just Janine in there, right?"  
  
"Bad," Slimer whispered. Dani touched the doorknob, but almost pulled away and the almost icy touch. She turned the knob than pushed the door open. The blonde saw Janine lying on the floor and quickly rushed to the redhead's side.  
  
"Janine," Dani said. "Janine, can you hear me?" She felt for a pulse on the woman's neck and noticed it was rather slow, but wasn't surprised considering the cold temperature. The heart rate would go down in cooler temperatures.  
  
"She is mine," a voice bellowed. Egon's cousin nearly jumped at the sound of the voice. She quickly looked around.  
  
"Who are you? What have you done to her?" Dani waited for an answer. "Hey, buddy, you want to give some kind of clue? Most bad guys do that. Brag about their plans than lose to the hero."  
  
"I will not lose," the voice responded. "My time has come."  
  
"Time?" Dani repeated. Her blue eyes became wide in realization. "Oh, damn it. It's happening." She looked at Slimer who was intently staring at the unmoving Janine. "Slimer, I think this qualifies as a reason to call the guys."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," the ghost agreed. "Call the guys." 


	8. Flaws

Here is the next chapter. It's kinda long, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

* * *

"We really need to stop doing this," Peter said as the Ghostbusters walked into the hospital. "This is the second time in two days. When everyone including the janitors knows who you are is a bad sign."  
  
"Yeah, I have to agree with you there, Pete," Winston agreed. "At least the hospitals in New York know what to expect when we come in."  
  
"Raymond, what did Dani say exactly?" Dr. Spengler asked the youngest member of the group. The auburn haired engineer glanced at Egon than back at the corridor in front of him. "Raymond."  
  
"She just sounded really panicky," Dr. Stantz answered. "I could make out one thing though and it that was the fact she thinks it's starting."  
  
"Her vision is playing out now?" Zeddemore inquired. Ray looked at him and nodded. "We still haven't figured any of this stuff out."  
  
"We have," Ray responded a bit defensively. "We just don't know how it works. Or how to stop it."  
  
"That makes me feel real good," Peter commented. The four men walked towards the waiting room overhearing a pair of young nurses' talk about an ugly green thing sitting with some young woman.  
  
"Did you see it?" The brunette asked. "It was so disgusting."  
  
"Well that girl said it was harmless," the other brunette replied. "But I would never hang out with that. It's worse than those ugly bulldogs."  
  
"Thank goodness I don't have to live with it."  
  
"You got that right." Dr. Venkman watched as the women walked away.  
  
"I wish I didn't have to live with it either," the psychologist muttered. The Ghostbusters walked into the waiting room and Peter was instantly greeted with a splash of ectoplasm as Slimer wrapped himself around him. "Aw, Slimer. I was actually hoping you wouldn't do this today."  
  
"You're here," Dani said as she wrapped herself around Ray. He squeezed her tightly. "I am so scared."  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Ray told her. Her grip was tight and didn't seem to want to loosen. The engineer glanced at Winston who gave him a grin than shrugged.  
  
"No, it's not," Dani replied. She looked at Egon over Dr. Stantz's shoulder. He watched her carefully. She squeezed her eyes closed to avoid his gaze as she continued to speak. "She's in trouble, Ray. I should have known, but she came in all upset and I wasn't sure what to do."  
  
"Upset?" Egon repeated. "Did she mention about what?" The young woman looked at him again with a slightly guilty feeling in her gut.  
  
"Maybe we could sit down and talk about this," Ray suggested trying to loosen the hold his girlfriend had around his neck. "The oxygen isn't exactly making it to my brain at the moment."  
  
"Sorry," his girlfriend apologized. She released him and the five sat down in the waiting room chairs. Ray and Egon each sat next to Dani as Peter and Winston pulled up two chairs to face her. "Um, okay. Where should I start?"  
  
"How about after we left this morning?" Peter suggested. "That's as good a place as any."  
  
"Alright," Dani said quietly. She took in a deep breath than released it. "You guys left and I sat down at Janine's desk to read my book. That new one Winston suggested I read." The young woman noticed the Ghostbusters looks. "Sorry. Anyway, she came in a few minutes later and I told her that you guys had left. She said that was good and it'd make her task easier. I asked her what was wrong because I could tell she was mad. She had that look she usually reserves for Peter."  
  
"Oh, yeah. We know those," Winston interjected with a glance at the psychologist. Peter shrugged with a sigh and a slight eyeroll.  
  
"Well, she tells me that she's tired of this and I ask her what this is," Dani continued. She looked down at the floor. "Janine said she quit. She was tired of being the person who cleans up after you all. I thought she was joking for a moment, but she was mad. Really mad. It was like watching a volcano that's about to explode. Than she went upstairs and was up there for about fifteen minutes before Slimer came down and told me she was unconscious. I went up there to check on her and it was cold. I also heard a voice."  
  
"A voice?" Dr. Stantz repeated. "What did it sound like? Do you know where it came from?  
  
"There was no one or anything else in the lab besides Slimer, Janine and me," Dani informed. "The voice was pretty creepy and said that Janine was his. Also that his time had come."  
  
"His time is also short," Peter said. "We're going to bag this goober before anything happens."  
  
"But there's nothing to fight," the blonde replied looking at the psychologist. "I'd say get your butts out there and go save the world again, but I didn't see anything. There was just a voice."  
  
"Can you remember anything else?" Dr. Stantz asked his girlfriend. "Did this trigger something from your vision?" The blonde looked at him with frustration written on her face.  
  
"I can't think of anything else," Dani answered. She tugged on her ponytail and bit her lip. "I'm just going a little nuts here. I was in here yesterday because of an intense vision and here I am again wondering whether or not Janine is going to be alright. I just want to go home and wake up not remembering anything that happened. I want it to be over."  
  
"That sounds like there's more on your mind than just this," Peter commented. "Something you want to share with the rest of us who don't read minds." Egon's cousin looked at him than at her cousin who hadn't said anything. The physicist had been busy listening to her trying to figure out how everything fit together.  
  
"It's nothing," Dani said. "I need to get a drink." She got out of her seat and slipped through the small area between Winston's chair and the empty seat next to Ray. The young woman walked out of the waiting room and turned right down the hallway.  
  
"Ray, do you know what that was about?" Winston asked the engineer.  
  
"No. I understand she's stressed, but she's never really acted like this," Ray responded. "We usually work these things out when we spend time together."  
  
"That's the only thing you do?" Peter teased. Ray gave his friend a look. "Well, someone should go talk to her. We need everyone to be at least half- sane for a while longer than we can back to our normal insanity." He started getting out of his seat. "I'll go do it."  
  
"No," Egon said. "I will." Dr. Spengler stood and adjusted his glasses. "There's something I must discuss with her that's rather important." Ray looked at his tall friend wondering what the physicist was talking about. "Pardon me." Dr. Spengler walked around Peter and Winston than headed out of the waiting after his cousin. Ray turned to the remaining Ghostbusters.  
  
"There's a lot going on I don't know about, isn't there?" Ray said scratching his head.  
  
"It's probably just a woman thing," Winston guessed. "You know how she and Janine always stop talking whenever we get back. If we learned how to lip read we might actually figure out what's going on sometimes."  
  
"They could just be talking about how they're going to get Ray and Egon to buy them expensive gifts or trick them into marriage," Peter replied. "You wouldn't believe how many women actually trick a man into marriage."  
  
"Peter, now that's not nice," Dr. Stantz said. "For your information Dani and I have talked about marriage."  
  
"Oh, really?" Dr. Venkman responded raising an eyebrow. "Exactly what did the two of you say?" His friend opened his mouth than closed it and leaned back in his seat. "Oh, no. You aren't getting away with it that easily. I want details, Tex. And I'd like to hear them now."  
  
Dr. Spengler walked down the corridor Dani had turned and slowly made his way through the patients, doctors and nurses heading the other way. He glanced in rooms and down other hallways as he went. Egon knew a possible reason on why the young woman was upset and it was because he hadn't been entirely truthful with her. He also hadn't been entirely truthful with himself. There were still doubts in his mind.  
  
"Dr. Spengler." Egon looked around to see who was calling him. "Dr. Spengler." The Ghostbuster spotted a familiar middle-aged woman in a lab coat coming from the direction he was going.  
  
"Dr. Foster," Egon said. "How are you?"  
  
"A bit tired, but otherwise pretty good," the woman answered. "I'd ask you the same question, but I think I know the answer to that. I noticed Dani was in here yesterday and today your secretary, Ms. Melnitz. I guess something isn't exactly kosher."  
  
"Perhaps one way of putting it," Dr. Spengler responded.  
  
"I'm guessing the other way won't lead the way to the wizard of Oz," Maria retorted with a joking grin.  
  
"More like the Wicked Witch," Egon stated. "Uh, you wouldn't have seen Dani wandering the halls have you?"  
  
"Yes, I have. I passed her up and she didn't seem that happy," Dr. Foster answered. "Is there something going on? Something that doesn't deal with ghosts, demons and the supernatural?"  
  
"Unfortunately, it's all tying in at the moment," Dr. Spengler told the doctor. "Dani's vision was rather explicit and now seems to be coming to light."  
  
"Oh," the older woman said with slight surprise. "I suppose it wouldn't help if I offered to lend any assistance."  
  
"I'm afraid not," Egon responded. "Where was Dani when you passed her?"  
  
"Near the vending machines. Probably about to kick one," Dr. Foster replied. "Everyone else does. I keep telling the administrators we need a place for people to blow off steam. It would save money from having to buy new machines every couple of months."  
  
"Yes, quite logical," Egon agreed. "I believe I may have kicked one or two myself."  
  
"Who hasn't?" The doctor replied with a little chuckle. She sighed. "I guess I'll be going. I have a few patients I need to check on. You know where to find me if you need anything."  
  
"Thank you," the Ghostbuster told her. The woman nodded and continued down the corridor. Egon went on as well.  
  
The guilty feeling that had disappeared when he had been talking to Dr. Foster came back and he wanted to tell Janine how sorry he was right at that moment. He wanted to take back what he said. Of course, he wanted to do that since he had said it. The physicist reached the vending machines and looked around. There was an open room across the hall that looked like a lounge area with tables, chairs and a dingy looking couch. Egon spotted his cousin sitting at one of the tables munching on a candy bar and staring at spot on the wall. He walked in than hesitated a moment.  
  
"You might as well just come on in," she said sullenly. "It's not like I'm that much of a threat to you. I already hit you once this week." Egon went to the table and sat down to her left.  
  
"That's not what I was worried about," Dr. Spengler replied. "It was rather what I was going to say."  
  
"To me? Or to Janine?" She inquired glancing at him.  
  
"Both," Egon answered. "I wasn't truthful with you and I didn't treat Janine with the respect she deserved."  
  
"Your problem is that you flip-flop," Dani said looking at him in the eye.  
  
"Flip-flop?" Dr. Spengler repeated. "I don't believe that's the case. I try to keep a certain decorum."  
  
"Yeah, and that decorum is screwing your relationship up," Dani replied. "Janine and I both understand you guys sometimes have to leave abruptly for a bust, but when you don't have to don't."  
  
"I think you've lost me."  
  
"I can't explain it anymore," she said. "You either get it or you don't." She reached into one of her back pockets and pulled out a long, white envelope. Dani placed it on the table with Egon's full name written in cursive facing upward on the front. The physicist recognized it as Janine's handwriting. Egon pulled it to a place on the table in front of himself and stared at it.  
  
"Where did you get this?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"It was on your keyboard," Dani answered quietly. "I guess Janine put it there while she was in the lab." She looked at her cousin. "You lied to me."  
  
"Would have rather to have known everything?" Egon asked focusing back on the young woman.  
  
"Sometimes," Dani answered. "It might help."  
  
"Unfortunately you'll never know everything, Dani. And it's for a very good reason. There is a limit to what the others and I can protect you from. At any time there are people, ghosts, demons and a variety of other supernatural beings who would like to see the Ghostbusters gone. We do our best to fend them off and retain some semblance of a normal life, but sometimes it is near to impossible to do so. This is why I was against you staying in New York and living with us. I'd rather not see you hurt after everything. I personally rather not see anyone get hurt, but it happens and when it does that's a sign of failure on our part." He gestured to the envelope in his hand. "And this time I have failed. In more ways than one."  
  
"You are so full of shit," his cousin commented. Egon gave her a shocked look as Dani got out of her seat. "You don't think I understand that. I've heard enough to know what's going on. I'm not a baby, Egon."  
  
"I realize that, but you are still immature..."  
  
"Immature!?! I'll tell you who's immature. You are, Egon. You think you're supposed to make everything right on the first try and if you don't you whine and complain that you screwed up. Yeah, so you did, but you've got to pick it up and try again. Sure you guys might be the last line of defense, but don't make it seem like it's the freakin' end every single damn time," Dani shot back. "I'm just sick of you making a big deal out of having a girlfriend and balancing the world on your shoulders every day. Just deal with it sometimes. It's not like you have to go out day after day to save the world. You need to bigger the person and act like a person."  
  
"Dani, I don't think you should talk about something you don't know about," Dr. Spengler told her. "You may have heard a lot, but there's more to it all."  
  
"So there is," Dani agreed. "It's not like I'm digging into your past though. I'm looking at the present and where everyone is. You're still stuck in the past wallowing in self-pity and all that crap."  
  
"I don't wallow," Egon responded slowly becoming angry at the tone the young woman was taking with him. She had never done this before to him. "And I would appreciate it if you stopped talking about me. You don't know enough to place a judgment."  
  
"Maybe I don't because you never tell me no matter how much time we spend together. I probably know more about the others than you," she replied. "I think that's what your problem with Janine is. You can't open enough to make it work. You might think you are, but it's only the Table of Contents. An overview of what you're about. People want details." Egon quickly rose from his seat and towered over the blonde.  
  
"I suggest you stop there," Dr. Spengler said in a low tone. "I have let you get away with quite a bit since you've arrived, but there's only so much I can stand. You can not tell me what I should be because you're not all you could be yourself. I understand what you've gone through, but you can't always use it as an excuse."  
  
"Look who's talking," the young woman said. "You have a whole bag of excuses you use on a regular basis." Dr. Spengler began to crumple the envelope in his hand as he and his cousin started a staring match.  
  
"Young lady, I recommend...," Egon started. He shook his head slightly. "No, I demand you change your attitude with me. I will not tolerate anymore unruliness."  
  
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Dani asked. "I'm twenty-four years old. I don't listen to orders from windbags anymore. I stopped being a kid a long time ago. I happen to be an adult now."  
  
"Perhaps than you should act like one," the physicist suggested.  
  
"Screw you." The blonde started to walk around Egon and he watched her move out of the corner of his eye than noticed her stop.  
  
"I thought you were leaving, Dani," Egon snapped as he turned. He saw why she had stopped and felt his heart leap into his throat. "Oh..." Peter, Ray and Winston were all standing inside the room. They only stared at the two relatives as if they were trying to decipher what was going on.  
  
"The, uh, the doctor came by to say that we could see Janine," Winston said breaking the silence. "He gave us long, detailed explanation about her condition and it doesn't look good."  
  
"Nothing is lately," Dr. Venkman added giving Egon a scrutinizing gaze than glanced at Dani. She ignored his look and went over to Ray who was standing off to Peter's right.  
  
"They can't help her, can they?" Dani said. Ray turned his head to the young woman with a sad expression upon his face.  
  
"The doctor said her temperature is rising and when it gets to 108° all her functions will shut down," Dr. Stantz told her.  
  
"Ray, this isn't a normal medical problem," Dani replied. "There has to be something we can do. There has to be some kind of cure or antidote somewhere."  
  
"Possibly," he agreed. "I'm just not sure."  
  
"We still don't know what exactly happened to her," Winston interjected. "Dee, you said that thing escaped from the sarcophagus in the lab. We know a little about it, but not enough. I'm guessing right now those nerds we met yesterday won't exactly be forward with us anymore."  
  
"Let me take a crack at them," Peter said. He rubbed the fist he made with his right hand. "I think I might manage something."  
  
"Violence isn't the answer, Peter," Ray said. "It's going to take a lot of brains to figure this out. There's something we're missing."  
  
"You're missing a few things yourself, Tex," Dr. Venkman retorted. "We've gone through almost everything. There's almost nothing left."  
  
"We must examine the sarcophagus," Egon supplied. Everyone looked at Dr. Spengler. "The answer could quite possibly be there. It's the one thing we haven't taken a look at."  
  
"Than maybe we should do that quickly," Dr. Stantz responded looking away from Egon and instead at the other two Ghostbusters. "I can also try to use a few spells I know to see if they can help."  
  
"You shouldn't experiment on Janine," Dani told him.  
  
"I won't," Ray said. "I'll use them to look for answers. They can indicate the viable solution or find a cure for Janine. I've done it before." Dr. Venkman gave his friend a skeptical look.  
  
"When?"  
  
"Uh..." The youngest Ghostbuster trailed off and looked around the room careful not to make eye contact with anyone.  
  
"You, Pete and Dani should go work on that now," Winston said. "We need answers fast. And there's no time like the present."  
  
"Why do I have to go?" Peter asked the oldest Ghostbuster. Zeddemore gave him a look. "Oh. Yeah. Good idea, Winston. Ray, Dani, let's get out of here."  
  
"I guess we'll see Janine later than," Ray said. "Tell her I said hi."  
  
"Tell her if she isn't back at her desk Monday morning I'm firing her," Dr. Venkman added. "And I'm also not putting up with her cranky attitude."  
  
"I'd like to see that happen," Dani commented.  
  
"Come along, boys and girls," Peter said ignoring the young woman's comment. "We have work to do." The psychologist ushered Ray and Dani out of the room glancing at Winston who wore a serious expression on his face as Zeddemore stood near Egon who was absorbed once again with the envelope in his hands. The African American gave him a slight nod than watched as his three younger friends disappeared down the hallway. Winston looked back at Dr. Spengler taking in the hunched over posture and the almost distant look in the blonde's blue eyes as the physicist stared at the white envelope in his hands.  
  
"I know what you're going to say, Winston," Egon started. His bass voice lower than usual with a heavy tone attached.  
  
"No, I think you don't," Winston replied. "I'm trying to figure what happened to the rational Egon not this unstable person I'm looking at. You've really changed, man. At first it was just a little because of Janine and that little exploded into full-blown hysteria. You're trying to be a dad, a boyfriend, a friend and a logical scientist all at once. And you can't do that." Egon looked up at his friend.  
  
"Are you going to say what I'm not allowed to do?" Dr. Spengler inquired as his lips became a thin line. "Why does everyone feel they know how I should act?"  
  
"I'm not telling you how you should, Egon. I'm telling you that you need to cut it out. All the pressures are getting to you and you're taking it out on the wrong people," Winston replied. "You're really beginning to skate on thin ice and you're going to run out of people to help you out."  
  
"I'm perfectly capable of handling all of this," Egon stated. "I know my limits. I know when I need to ask for help. I can work by myself quite well."  
  
"I know that. I've seen it, but you working alone causes other people to work alone than there's a bout of self-destructedness and that never helps anyone."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying shape up or ship out."  
  
"You're going to attempt to kick me out?"  
  
"No. I'm going to see what everyone else thinks. Our job is a group effort and there isn't a need for selfish bastard who wants to do nothing but gain for himself."  
  
"That's preposterous. I have not now or ever been in this for gain. I enjoy what I do and greatly appreciate the chance to study areas of science few others have ever had access to."  
  
"I'm glad you like that aspect, but what about everything else? Peter told us about the conversation you two had and you didn't exactly come out of that smelling like roses. Than this between you and Dani. I would have never expected it. I felt like I was watching something from when I was younger. I know you want to give her a stable life, but that isn't how you should go about it."  
  
"Stop lecturing me, Winston."  
  
"I'm not lecturing. I'm trying to figure out what's going on. Why you're acting like this? I know you, Peter, Ray and even Janine have had your differences, but this just seems like a new side to you. Is it because of what you said to Janine?"  
  
"No. It's what I didn't say," Egon answered. He held up the envelope in his hand. "Dani said that Janine left this for me. I'm quite sure it says some expletive terms as well as all the reasons I made her life miserable. I don't deny that I did. I wonder now if the reason I decided to commit to the relationship is because I wanted to create the stability for Dani. Give her a father figure as well as mother figure."  
  
"I'm sure Janine would love to hear that," Winston commented. "Egon, there isn't one completely stable family out there. And though we were glad when you and Janine finally got together we aren't forcing you to keep the relationship. That's between you and her." Zeddemore shook his friend by the shoulder a bit. "I'm glad you wanted to become an important person in Dani's life, but you really didn't have to try to hard. You know she looks up to you even when you think she doesn't. She was right though. At twenty- four you really start to be your own person though it might be a little differently for her."  
  
"I know. I was merely trying to make my mother feel better about everything. I wish I could have sent her to Ohio and perhaps none of this would have happened." Egon started to stick the envelope in his pocket, but kept it out and looked at it again.  
  
"Or it would have and we wouldn't have had any warning." The oldest Ghostbuster sighed. "Look, Egon, right now isn't a good time for any of us. I just needed to know you were on the same page as the rest of us." Dr. Spengler looked at his friend with small smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes.  
  
"I believe we had this conversation before, Winston. None of us are, but somehow manage to come to the same ending." Winston chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, I agree with you there, man." Egon sighed and focused back on the envelope. "So, what are you going to do with it? Open it. Or tuck it away."  
  
"I'm rather afraid to look at it," Dr. Spengler confessed.  
  
"Than don't. It just depends on if you really want to know what Janine was thinking earlier," Winston responded. "Look, I don't know about you, but I'm going to check on her. Someone should really be with her right now."  
  
"Yes," the blonde man agreed. "Let's go." Zeddemore nodded and Egon followed him down the hallway. They approached ICU and it occurred to Dr. Spengler how severe the situation had actually become. Here he was concerned about his problems while Janine laid suffering in a hospital bed with almost minimal or no chance for survival depending on whether or not the others could actually find something.  
  
The two men walked into Janine's room. It was barely lit and they could hardly make out the small form that laid in the bed. There seemed to be a dozen machines attached to Janine and Egon knew what half of them were monitoring, but the others were new to him. Especially after all the times he and the guys had somehow managed to come into Emergency Rooms with new injuries every time.  
  
"If that's you, doc, than you can forget about it. I'm not letting you take a sample of anything," the woman muttered quietly. "I'd like to keep everything."  
  
"We aren't here to take anything," Winston said. "We just wanted to say hi."  
  
"Winston?" Janine replied. "Is that you?" The two men could hear the rustling of the sheets as the redhead moved.  
  
"Yeah, it's me," Winston answered. "I'm not alone though. Egon's here." The woman didn't reply and the African American glanced at Dr. Spengler before he walked closer to the bed. "The others are doing some research right now. They're trying to find some way to help you."  
  
"I'm really beginning to doubt that's there any way to save me from whatever the hell is happening," Janine responded.  
  
"That's not true, Janine," Egon objected.  
  
"Was I talking to you?" The woman inquired with a tone much different from the soft one she had been using. "I don't think I was, Dr. Spengler."  
  
"Right now Ray, Peter and Dani are looking for an antidote or something that might solve what's going on," Winston continued ignoring the last comment. "I'd bet good money that they'll find something."  
  
"I'd make a bet about that as well if it wasn't my life on the line," Melnitz replied.  
  
"You mind if I turn a light on?" Zeddemore inquired. "The darkness isn't a place a beautiful woman like you belongs." He flipped on the lights before the redhead could protest. The two Ghostbusters in the room looked at the women whose complexion was so pale it almost looked clear. Her face was slightly gaunt and they could almost see her cheekbones.  
  
"I look like shit," Janine muttered. "I wanted to keep the lights off."  
  
"No," Egon said. "You still look as lovely as ever." Even without her glasses the woman could still see the physicist. She wanted to thank him for the attempt to make her feel better, but the anger she still felt towards him overpowered that want and she only glared at him. Egon looked down and walked to a chair located away from Janine's hospital bed.  
  
"Oh, before I forget Ray says hi," Winston told her. Janine turned towards the man who had now moved to the side of her bed. "He felt bad that he couldn't come and see you, but he's the only one who can even read those spell books he buys. Peter says if you don't come in on Monday he's going to fire you. And Dee, well, she didn't say much. I could tell though she was pretty upset."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised," Janine replied. "She probably feels responsible."  
  
"Someday she's gonna have to learn she can't solve everything," Winston responded. "Of course, with Ray trying to do the same thing it won't help much. We really need to sit the two down and teach them the difference between reality and fantasy."  
  
"You don't think I've tried?" Janine joked. "We all have, Winston. I don't think it's going to ever work. We'll just have to let them learn on their own." She sighed and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
"You okay?" Winston asked.  
  
"I'm fine," she answered her voice almost hoarse. "I'm just a little tired."  
  
"Than we'll leave so you can't get some sleep."  
  
"No, don't. I want you to say. Just don't talk because than I'll want to reply and it's really beginning to hurt. Maybe you could turn the radio on or something. Just stay here please."  
  
"No problem," Winston said gently. He looked around and noticed there wasn't a television in the room. Probably wouldn't be any good for the usual coma patient that used the ICU room. The Ghostbuster spotted a radio on the other side of Janine's bed. He walked around and flipped it on. Static was the first thing that came out and he quickly attempted to find a station.  
  
"You're listening to Rock 101.3," the DJ said. "And we're playing all the hits all the time. Here's a good one. It's Hoobastank with their new song off their new album. It's called 'The Reason'." Winston glanced at Janine to see that the woman had closed her eyes and looked as if she was sleeping. She moved in the bed a bit emitting a low moan than went still once again. He turned around to glimpse at the quiet Dr. Spengler and noticed he was reading the letter.  
  
_I'm not a perfect person  
As many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know  
_  
"Egon?" Winston said. The blonde physicist glanced up from the letter at his friend with miserable look on his face. "Oh, damn. It's pretty bad, isn't it?"  
  
_I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you  
_  
"She was rather upset," Egon told him solemnly. "She never would have written this if I hadn't messed up. If I had been more careful..."  
  
_I'm sorry that I hurt you  
It's something I must live with everyday  
And all the pain I put you through  
I wish that I could take it all away  
And be the one who catches all your tears  
That's why I need you to hear  
_  
"Damn it, Egon," Winston said. He grabbed the letter from his friend and crumpled it up. "Forget about that."  
  
_I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you  
_  
"Forget?" Dr. Spengler repeated with wide eyes. "How can I forget? I practically did this." He looked past his friend to Janine. "I might as well have put her there."  
  
_I'm not a perfect person  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know_  
  
"No, man," Winston objected. "It isn't your fault. You didn't put her there. This demon parasite thing did. You aren't to blame. You just need to be there for her, Egon. She needs you no matter what." He held up the crumpled paper. "No matter what this says." The physicist glanced at his friend a moment than got up and walked over to Janine's bedside.  
  
_I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you  
_  
"How can you be so sure about that?" Egon inquired quietly. He looked at Zeddemore. "How?" Winston sighed than walked over to his fellow Ghostbuster placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Because I've seen it all happen before," Winston answered. Dr. Spengler glanced between his friend and the woman lying in the bed. So many thoughts filled the blonde man's head and all he wanted to do was share them all with Janine. He wanted to share so much with the woman and he hoped he'd get the chance to do so once again.  
  
_I've found a reason to show  
A side of me you didn't know  
A reason for all that I do  
And the reason is you_  
  
"I hope you're right, Winston," Egon said. "I really hope you are."

* * *

There's more of this exciting story coming soon.


	9. Escape

Dr. Stantz scribbled on the paper in front of him as he copied a few words in foreign language from the book he was holding. Ray had an idea of what they meant, but he wanted to check his translation against a few other books he had.  
  
"Ray." Dr. Stantz kept his focus and continued writing.  
  
"Ray," the voice repeated sounding a bit annoyed.  
  
"I'm busy," Ray said. "I think I may have found something."  
  
"I really hope it's the answer because all this book reading has me going cross-eyed." The engineer stopped writing and turned in his seat. He looked at his fellow Ghostbuster whose hair was sticking up on end and whose jumpsuit had been unzipped halfway revealing the Metallica t-shirt he was wearing underneath.  
  
"You don't hear Dani complaining," Dr. Stantz replied.  
  
"That's because she feel asleep," Peter responded gesturing to the blonde who was curled up in an armchair in the lab with a book still open in her lap. "You just haven't noticed and I didn't want to rat her out. At least not yet." The engineer gave his friend a look than got up and walked over to the young woman. He shook her by the shoulder gently. She made a little noise and moved a bit nearly knocking the book off her. Ray caught the book before it hit the floor and set it down next to the chair. He touched her again.  
  
"Dani, wake up," Ray whispered.  
  
"The sea monkey stole my money," she mumbled.  
  
"Damn sea monkey," Dr. Venkman commented. Ray cast him another glance than turned back to Dani.  
  
"Dani, honey, wake up," Dr. Stantz spoke softly.  
  
"Give me all your cookies," she murmured in reply than started to snore lightly. Ray chuckled than stroked the blonde's hair and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Her to actually give you permission to wake her up?" Peter asked.  
  
"I'm not going to wake her," his younger friend told him as he stood up. "At least not yet anyway."  
  
"What about you, Ray? You need sleep more than she does. We are pulling yet another all-nighter and nearly running on empty. If we haven't found anything now than it's unlikely we will find anything."  
  
"You want to give up?" Dr. Stantz asked with an incredulous look. "I can't do that, Pete. I'm going to keep searching."  
  
"I didn't say that," Peter said. "I'm just trying to tell you to get some sleep. It won't help if you're dead on your feet. I know I almost am."  
  
"Than go sleep. I think I might have found something. I just need to do some cross-referencing and calculations to find the best formula."  
  
"You mean antidote, right? Formula just doesn't sound right."  
  
"I have to follow everything to an exact point because if I don't than something worse might happen. I'm trying to bend a few laws of nature and I need to go back their original state when I'm done otherwise we could be looking at catastrophic consequences."  
  
"What are you saying, Ray?" Dr. Venkman inquired. "Is this going to be more trouble than it's worth?"  
  
"It's worth it, Peter. I don't want to see Janine die. She's been with us almost since the beginning. She's family, Pete. I'm going to do what I can to help her even if that means opening up the Netherworld to do it."  
  
"Ray, I feel the same way about Janine, but sometimes there are limits to what we can do. We've all agreed never to go back to the Netherworld unless it was important."  
  
"This is important. And I'm going to do it. If you want to try and stop me than fine. Otherwise help me out so I can solve this." Dr. Stantz looked at his friend a moment. Peter didn't answer, but rather gave the younger man an exasperated look. Ray easily got carried away and that wasn't always a good thing. Especially now when he was saying that he might have to open the Netherworld.  
  
Ray turned away from Dr. Venkman and sat back down in the chair he had vacated a few minutes earlier. He went back to writing and reading the text. The young man may not have taken all the foreign language classes Egon had, but he knew enough to understand what the books were saying. Janine was about to become part of something big. Something big that could cause total darkness and unleash hell on Earth. He wasn't going to let that happen and finding just the right combination of words, chemicals and maybe a little fire power was going to keep that from happening.  
  
"What do I need to do?" Peter asked calmly. Ray looked at everything in front of him than at his friend.  
  
"Get Janine out of the hospital," Ray answered.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"We can't do this there," Dr. Stantz responded. "I really doubt the hospital wants us to come in there with everything and I'd rather not have to worry about the other patients if something goes wrong."  
  
"How do you propose we get her out of there?" Peter inquired. "I don't think the doctor would be too happy if we asked if we could take her home. He likes being able to run all those tests and running our insurance up. Janine's a damn medical phenomenon to him."  
  
"Than don't ask," Ray said. Peter raised an eyebrow. "You're pretty good at that." A grin formed on Dr. Venkman's face.  
  
"You're telling me to quote, unquote kidnap Janine," Peter said with a sly smile.  
  
"I didn't tell you that," Ray replied with a sly grin of his own. "I merely suggested it."  
  
"Excellent suggestion," Dr. Venkman commented. "I shall take that into consideration. I suppose I should talk it over with Winston and Egon."  
  
"Yeah, I'd hate for anything to interfere with the suggestion," Dr. Stantz said with mock worry. "It's a good thing we know someone who works at the hospital or we might get into a lot of trouble."  
  
"Because we hate trouble," Peter agreed. He zipped up his jumpsuit. "You know what? I think I'm going to go take a spin in Ecto. Maybe go pick up a few things." Ray nodded. Peter gave his friend one more grin than walked out of the lab. The young man shook his head and went back to work.

"Spengs." Egon thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice. It seemed to distant, yet so close.  
  
"Spengs, wake up." Dr. Spengler felt something hit his forehead and quickly awoke to find Peter in a set of scrubs standing in front of him.  
  
"Peter?" Egon said. He rubbed his forehead. "What are you doing? Why are you wearing those?"  
  
"Not a whole lot of time to explain," Peter responded. "We have a small window."  
  
"What?" Dr. Spengler responded. Peter pulled him out of the chair. "What's going on?" Egon spotted a laundry basket in the room. "Why do we need a laundry basket? Are you planning to actually do some laundry?"  
  
"We're getting Janine out of here," Dr. Venkman answered. "We're using that to get out without drawing to much attention. That's what our decoy is for." Dr. Spengler rubbed his head again as he tried to process what his friend was saying.  
  
"I believe I am sufficiently confused," Egon said. "Why are we getting Janine out? Wouldn't it do her more harm?"  
  
"Well, maybe, but Ray said it was better we get her out," Peter responded.  
  
"Ray came up with this?" The psychologist gave his friend a sly grin.  
  
"He suggested it," Peter told him. "Keeps him out of trouble that way."  
  
"Oh, dear," Dr. Spengler sighed. "What shall I do?"  
  
"Get in the basket with Janine," Peter answered. "She doesn't look to good and she'll need someone to make sure she doesn't get hurt any worse." The two men looked at Janine who seemed to have gotten worse overnight. She looked even smaller than usual and her breathing seemed to have become raspier.  
  
"Very well," Egon said. "What exactly is our signal?"  
  
"Oh, my God! He's returned!" A voice screeched from out in the hall.  
  
"There it is," Peter told him. "Let's go.""Go away!" Dr. Foster yelled at the floating leather jacket as it followed her around the main lobby of the hospital. Something poked out of the empty air that looked like the edge of a gun. People ran around trying to catch it, but the thing kept avoiding their grasp. "Somebody do something!"  
  
"Call the Ghostbusters!" A male nurse yelled.  
  
"Get out of here!" Someone screamed. "It'll kill us all." Dr. Foster looked toward the direction of the voice and could see the person it came from. She was overacting a bit, but they needed the distraction. The older woman kept going through people trying to get away, but tried to keep inside the hospital to continue to keep the attention.  
  
"Come here, pretty woman," the thing said in a deep voice.  
  
"No," Dr. Foster objected. "Never." She glanced at her watch. There was only about a two minute window and that time was about up. The woman hoped they had gotten Janine out in the midst of all this.  
  
"Hey, look. It's one of the Ghostbusters." Dr. Foster turned to see Dani with a proton pack on her back and a trap in her hands. She looked ready to drop, but it was all part of the show. They had to keep up appearances.  
  
"Freeze, dirtbag," she told the floating object as the young woman slid the trap underneath it. "Don't make me kill you." She scrunched up her face. "Again."  
  
"Pretty lady," the thing repeated in the same deep voice. Dani pulled out the proton rifle and shot intentionally missing. Instead she hit the wall across the way than stomped on the trap's trigger and the thing was sucked inside. The jacket fell down on top of it. The blonde walked over to the trap and picked up the jacket tossing it to a little kid in a wheelchair who was staring in awe. She knelt down next to the trap and Dr. Foster joined her.  
  
"You okay?" The doctor asked her in a hushed whisper.  
  
"Just a little tired," Dani answered. "Plus I'm trying to keep all the focus on me. Give the guys the few extra seconds." The young woman looked at the doctor. "Thanks for helping out."  
  
"Well, a compelling argument was made," Dr. Foster replied with a smile. "How can I ignore one of those?"  
  
"Thanks," Dani said. She picked up the smoking trap and held it out in front of her. People continued to gawk. "It's alright, folks. I've got it. You don't have to worry about this guy anymore." The young woman walked out the front entrance just as a barrage of police officers came running in.  
  
_Janine could feel herself being moved around, but she thought it was all part of the wonderful dream she was having. She was in a meadow watching as the sun slowly came up over the horizon. An Irish Setter was sitting next to her with a serious look on its face. The woman reached over to pet the dog and it turned to her baring its teeth. She jerked her hand back and looked back at the sunrise.  
  
"Fair maiden, you must leave this place." The redhead looked around to see where the voice had come from and a knight completely clad in his shining iron suit of armor stood behind her. His hand was held out.  
  
"No, I like it here," Janine replied. "It's so beautiful. I feel so calm. I haven't felt like this in a long time."  
  
"Please come with me," the knight said. "There's immense danger lurking and I don't want to see you hurt."  
  
"Danger?" Janine repeated as she stood. A breeze gently lifted the silky blue skirt she was wearing and flew through her hair. "I left the danger behind me. I want peace and quiet."  
  
"You won't find it here," a deep voice. Janine glanced at the dog. "This is only a deception."  
  
"You can talk," Janine said in a flabbergasted voice. "Of course, I'm not surprised. Worse things have happened." She looked back at the knight. "Things I don't want to ever have happen again."  
  
"Than listen to him," the Irish Setter told her. "He's the only one who would go to the deepest, darkest level of Hell to save you."  
  
"What are you saying?" Melnitz inquired. "This isn't Hell. It's too beautiful to be something like that."  
  
"It's deceiving you," the knight said. "You can't always believe what you see."  
  
"The same could go for a few things I hear," Janine replied. "Leave me alone. I don't want to leave. Just leave. I'm fine. I can solve whatever problem comes my way. I'm a grown woman with a will of steel."  
  
"I know, Janine, but I still worry," the knight replied. The redhead glared at the knight who hung his head. She wished he'd show his face so she could see who was talking to her, but maybe that wasn't supposed to happen. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through her.  
  
"Ah," Janine moaned grabbing herself. She stumbled back a few steps as the pain continued to travel through out her body. "What's happening?"  
  
"You're waking," the red-haired dog next to the woman informed her. "You've managed to convince yourself that maybe this isn't where you want to be."  
  
"No, I want to," the secretary objected. "It's so wonderful."  
  
"Not everything is as it seems," the knight told her quietly. "Please come with me, Janine." The woman looked at him once more.  
  
"Who are you?" Janine asked. The knight hesitated a moment glancing at the Irish Setter. The dog nodded and the knight pulled at his helmet.  
_  
Janine gasped for air as her eyes opened and she found herself looking up at the face of Dr. Egon Spengler.  
  
"Egon?" Janine sputtered. She glanced around noticing she was no longer in the hospital bed, but rather lying in the back of Ecto with Egon. "What's happening? What's going on?"  
  
"We're taking you to the firehouse," Dr. Spengler answered. "We had to sneak you out of the hospital."  
  
"Why?" Janine inquired attempting to sit up. The same pain she had felt earlier kept her from doing so. Egon bit his lip a moment than took an offered blanket and slipped it under her head.  
  
"Raymond has a plan, but unfortunately he didn't believe it could be performed at the hospital," Dr. Spengler informed her. "And since it the likelihood of the doctors allowing us to take you home willing we had to do it rather undercover."  
  
"I did it undercover," Peter interjected from the row of seats in front of them. "Egon and you were in the laundry basket."  
  
"What?" Janine said. "Someone really needs to explain this." She yawned. "After I take a nap."  
  
"No," Egon said. "You can't sleep. It was nearly impossible to get you to awake now. We need you to stay awake, Janine." He leaned down near her ear. "I need you to stay. I don't want to lose you." The physicist sat back up and Janine looked at him.  
  
"Egon, I..." Janine trailed off. She wanted to say so much to the physicist, but she wasn't sure where to begin. The past few days had been tumultuous and angry words had been shared. It would be simple to say she forgave him, but would that solve everything. "I..."  
  
"We're home," Winston announced as he pulled Ecto into the firehouse. She could feel the car come to a complete stop and heard the engine being shut off. Egon just looked at her again his eyes full of sorrow. He jerked his head up as the back door opened.  
  
"Okay, we're gonna have to be careful," Peter said. "Janine can't be tossed around like a sack of potatoes right now." The three men carefully maneuvered the woman out of the back than she was back in the arms Dr. Spengler who held her gently, but securely. They headed to the stairs as an seemingly oblivious Ray walked down with a notepad and a book. He glanced up to see them. A look of happiness and frustration crossed his tired face.  
  
"Oh, good you're here," Dr. Stantz said.  
  
"I hear a 'but' coming," Dr. Venkman commented.  
  
"Yeah, kinda," Ray confessed. He glanced at Egon and Janine. "Hi, Janine."  
  
"Hi, Ray," the woman replied with a tired voice. "Do I need to be here for this? I don't know if I really want to hear it all. I can guess it's not completely good."  
  
"I'll take her upstairs," Egon said. He attempted to put on a brave face, but his friends didn't buy. As he walked by them they all patted him on the shoulder. They watched as the two disappeared upstairs.  
  
"Well, what's going on, Ray?" Winston asked.  
  
"We can save Janine," Dr. Stantz stated. "It's just going to take a little more time than I thought. Some of the items we need might be a little tough to find."  
  
"Like what?" Peter inquired.  
  
"A plant of the sea," Ray answered. "I'm not sure if that's algae or something else. It doesn't say. All it says is that it must be as salty as the fresh ocean."  
  
"We'll work on that," Winston said. "What else?"  
  
"I need the Orb of Quantiliza," Dr. Stantz responded. "It's used to hold dangerous energies. It's what we'll use to hold the entity that apparently wants to hold Janine. Hopefully it'll work just as well as the containment unit. I haven't been able to find who's used it in the past. I probably don't have the book."  
  
"Anything else?" Peter asked. "Do we need some kind special plant that you can only find in Ireland? I'm really beginning to hate all this magic bullshit."  
  
"It's why we only use it when we absolutely have to," Ray told him. "The rest of the time we can use the equipment. This time though we aren't dealing with regular possession. If we were we could use the proton packs, but this is just one time we can't until the entity shows itself."  
  
"Forgive me for asking, but what the hell is this thing's name?" Peter interjected. "If I'm going to fight something, I'd at least like to know what it is I'm fighting." Ray and Winston exchanged a look than the youngest Ghostbuster glanced down at the open book in his hand and handed it over to Dr. Venkman. "What am I looking at?"  
  
"There's just a name," Winston said. "Barely a picture, but I'm more worried about the name."  
  
"Miquiztli," Dr. Venkman read. "That sounds nice. Sounds foreign too. What does it mean?"  
  
"It's an Aztec name meaning death," Ray told him. "There's even an older name for him, but practically impossible to say translate into English." Peter closed the book and handed it back to Dr. Stantz.  
  
"Well, gang, let's give Miquiztli a little twenty-first century greeting and make sure he never, ever returns to any other century," Peter said.  
  
"Than we need to get this stuff and we need to get it now," Ray said.  
  
"Let's go," Winston responded.

* * *

This isn't the end yet. There's still a little more to go before the ending you as the reader gets to choose. 


	10. Brief

Janine's eyes blurred as she tried to listen to Egon read from a book he had managed to find in his lab that wasn't full of scientific terms or detailed descriptions of bone-crushing demons. She guessed though the book didn't belong to Dr. Spengler, but rather his cousin who had a knack for picking up random books from discount bins at the bookstore. Dani had a bookshelf full of ridiculous romance novels, a few instruction books and some forgotten classics. Of course, she often left them scattered around the firehouse usually next to some of Ray's tools in that same place. It didn't take a genius to understand what happened there.  
  
"Love seeketh not his own. Dear, you may take my happiness to make you happier even though you never know I gave it to you.... Only let me hear sometimes, all alone the distant laughter of your joy!..." Egon looked at Janine, who was rubbing her eyes, and set down the book in concern. "Janine, are you alright?"  
  
"It's hard to concentrate," she answered touching her forehead as she leaned back against the stack of pillows Egon had grabbed from all of the beds in the bunkroom. "But keep reading. I kinda remember what it was like reading it back in high school. I always imagined having my own Cyrano, but he'd look more like Christian. And maybe have an exotic accent." She smiled to herself as Egon picked the book back up.  
  
"I never look at you, but there's some new virtue born. In me, some new courage. Do you begin to understand, a little? Can you feel my soul, there in the darkness, breathe on you?" Dr. Spengler continued. He glanced back up from the page when he heard Janine make a noise as if she was in pain. "Janine, is there something I can do?"  
  
"Unless you can make this all go away right now than forget about it," Janine responded through clenched teeth. She rubbed her stomach area and made a pained face. "I really wish I could forget about it.  
  
"I understand," Egon responded soothingly trying to ignore all the horrible thoughts in his mind. "Would you like me to get you something to eat?"  
  
"The word eat just makes my stomach do a backflip," Janine said. She let out low moan as her body agreed.  
  
"How about a glass of water?" Dr. Spengler inquired. "I'll get you some aspirin and perhaps you'll feel better."  
  
"You know it won't work like that," Janine replied as she looked at him. "There isn't some simple answer to this. There never is. You and I both know there's a chance it could all go wrong."  
  
"I have thought about that possibility, but I have faith that Raymond knows what he is doing," Egon told her. "I just want you to be comfortable, Janine."  
  
"I know that, Egon, but as much as Ray means well as do the others there are those times when nothing goes right," Janine said quietly. She closed her eyes. "I can't help thinking that this might be that time. Maybe we've cheated death a time to many and this is our punishment."  
  
"No," Dr. Spengler said firmly. He got out of the chair and sat down on the edge of his bed where the woman laid. The physicist took her hand. "Janine, listen to me. This isn't it. I won't let it. You have to listen to me. I will do everything in my power to stop whatever's happening." The woman gave him a small smile that disappeared and was replaced with something that looked like a cat read to pounce on unsuspecting prey. "Janine?"  
  
"You have no power, mortal," a deep voice came from the woman's throat. "You are incapable of stopping me."  
  
"Who are you?" Egon asked quickly standing. "Why did you pick her? Leave her and take me."  
  
"She is a sufficient vessel," the voice answered. "She will help me bring back my kingdom I lost long ago."  
  
"We will stop you," Dr. Spengler said. His hands slowly created two fists as the anger boiled up inside the normally calm man. Egon watched as the look faded away with a light laughter from Janine's face and she put her head in her hands.  
  
"Oh, what happened?" She asked. The words came out muffled as she spoke into her hands. "My head hurts. Bad." Melnitz looked at Dr. Spengler. "Egon?" The Ghostbuster shook his head to clear a few thoughts.  
  
"Yes, Janine?"  
  
"You looked like you saw a ghost," she commented.  
  
"I only wish I had," Egon replied with a sigh as he sat back down on the bed. "At least I would have known what to do."  
  
"What are you talking about?" He blinked at her in slight surprise.  
  
"Uh, nothing," Dr. Spengler answered. She gave him a look than leaned back against the pillows once again. "Shall I go back to reading?" He reached for the book, but Janine grabbed his arm and he turned to look at her.  
  
"I believe you, Egon," Janine told him. "I've never doubted you and the guys. Even when you all were at your most idiotic."  
  
"Thank you." Dr. Spengler raised an eyebrow. "I think." The woman laughed a little than made a face at the pain it caused.  
  
"There's just something I want you to know," Melnitz started in a soft voice. "I always wished that I got to go out with you guys more often. To be out there on the front line instead of always behind the desk. I may be part of an important organization, but half the time I felt like I wasn't contributing anything."  
  
"Janine, you were. You always have. You're the one that has kept us running when at one time or another we haven't been able to. You are a major contributor to what goes on around here. It isn't said enough, but we all appreciate everything you do. You are one of us no matter what anyone says. Why else would have Peter broke down to buy you a jumpsuit?" The woman's eyes lit up with laughter at the memory.  
  
"If you're trying to make me feel better it's working," Janine said with a small smile. Egon returned it. "It might be a pack of little white lies, but they're nice."  
  
"I've learned lying is rather hazardous to my health," Egon admitted sheepishly.  
  
"Only if you do it blatantly otherwise you get points for effort," the redhead informed him. Now, if you really want to make me feel better than pick the book back up and continue the story. I forget how in love Cyrano really was with Roxanne."  
  
"With all his heart," Dr. Spengler replied genuinely as he picked the book back up and returned to the tale of love.

* * *

To be continued...


	11. The End?

"How did we get stuck with the plant thing?" Peter asked the young blonde woman walking next to him as they made their way through a home and garden store. "I mean, seriously, what type of plant is as salty as the sea? Do we have to eat it?"  
  
"I hope it doesn't taste as bad as Egon's mushrooms," Dani replied. The psychologist looked at Ray's girlfriend. "It was an accident. I thought they were the mushrooms somebody..." She gave him a slight glare, "...was supposed to pick up from the grocery store. I had them on the list. It was for the pasta dinner."  
  
"I was in a hurry," Dr. Venkman responded. "I thought you were mad at him."  
  
"Oh, I am," the blonde admitted in a chipper voice. "I'm just a little more upset at the moment over this stupid plant thing. Ray and Winston got the easy orb thingy."  
  
"Winston didn't sound happy about it," Peter said. "I think I heard him mutter something about blowing up the Lower East Side."  
  
"I heard that to. Than Ray said something about using one of the packs like a big stun gun from Star Trek. I would have asked him what he was talking about, but he didn't exactly seem very happy."  
  
"He just needs some sleep," Dr. Venkman told her. He yawned as he picked up a potted fern. "I need some too. You're the only who's gotten any."  
  
"Sorry," Egon's cousin apologized. "When this is over I promise to let you sleep while I go out and bust ghosts."  
  
"I think I'll hold you up to that," Peter said replacing the fern. He slammed his fist down on an empty space on a nearby shelf between what looked like a Banzai tree and a bouquet of fake flowers. "I hate these damn spells. They make them as difficult as possible just to persuade people not to use them."  
  
"Actually, I think that's why people do use them," Dani corrected him. "Or else you guys wouldn't have as many problems as you do. Remember that chicken guy you told me about? He used magic to rid the world of chickens."  
  
"I don't ever want to talk about that again. It was ridiculous what we had to go through. How the hell could someone have anything against chickens?" His companion shrugged and continued down the aisle glancing around at the plants. Peter followed her than ended up running into the young woman as she came to a sudden stop. The blonde stumbled forward a few steps than quickly spun around, her hair whipping around and nearly getting caught in an outstretched branch.  
  
"We are looking in the wrong place," she said.  
  
"What do you mean we're looking in the wrong place?" Dr. Venkman asked. "Don't tell me that. I'm walking in a place called Chelsea Garden Center where there are so many damn flowers I'm lucky that I'm not sneezing all over you."  
  
"That's the thing," Dani said. "The flowers are sweet. Many plants have a sweeter taste to them because of the sugars that flow through them. We didn't think about the sea part of the plant's identity. This place doesn't sell that. We need to try a pet store."  
  
"Oh, no. With my luck I'll get bitten or something."  
  
"I'm not asking you to play with the animals. We need to look in the sea creature area. They have all those plants in the tanks."  
  
"Most of them are fake. And besides the sea only has two types of plants most people even know about. Algae and seaweed. Both are found practically in everything from rivers to oceans. And the only way to know something is salty is if you taste it. I don't know of many people who have eaten algae, but I know Winston's had some seaweed before. It was at this Japanese restaurant we went about a year or so ago on Janine's birthday. She wanted to go so bad, but ended up having the worst time because..." Dani put a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Stop," she told him. The young woman moved her hand and wiped the palm on her jeans. "It sounds like a great story, Peter. Unfortunately now is not the time for a story. Next time we both have trouble sleeping is probably better."  
  
"But that's when we snuggle," Dr. Venkman teased.  
  
"Oh, shut up. That was one time. And we fell asleep."  
  
"That's not what Ray thought."  
  
"Grow up for a second. We have a mission right now and that's to go buy some seaweed." She made a face. "Geez, that doesn't sound like anything Harrison Ford or Pierce Brosnan would say."  
  
"That's because we haven't had much of an action-packed climax," Peter replied. "We get the boring end, while Winston and Ray are probably having all the fun."  
  
Meanwhile.... Winston looked over at Ray who seemed to be smiling as he ducked behind the flipped table once again and groaned inward. How could his friend be having fun when all this was happening? Zeddemore more knew the engineer was a strange man who had an affinity for the even stranger and adored it for him, but sometimes that enthusiasm was a bit much for anyone. Winston had even seen Dani get annoyed at it and she could be just as bad.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" Winston asked.  
  
"They're wasting their energy," Dr. Stantz answered. "Performing spells can take a lot out of a person because they're trying to keep the balance as well as cast the spell. If you execute to many than you pretty much shut down. I don't think they know that and in a minute we're going to be able to walk out of here."  
  
"Ray, I zapped them with the proton rifle and it deflected off them," Zeddemore replied. "I think you might be wrong."  
  
"It was a simple shield spell," the auburn-haired man responded. "I could do that, but it isn't needed. They only did that to try and intimidate you."  
  
"So, what if I do it now?" Winston inquired. Ray glanced over the table again than ducked back down quickly to avoid a flying knife that embedded itself into the wall behind them. The youngest Ghostbuster admired the weaponry a moment muttering something about messing up history than looked back at the African American.  
  
"I'd think it would help," Ray said. Winston noticed Dr. Stantz was no longer wearing a look of joy, but rather it was the same serious look he had on earlier when he came downstairs after they got back. "It wouldn't hurt our chances. Either way we're walking out of here with the orb no matter what Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have to say about it. I'm not letting them make us lose Janine."  
  
"We won't, buddy," Winston told him. "I don't want to lose her either. She's been there through thick and thin."  
  
"She's one of us," Dr. Stantz added. "We haven't lost yet and I'm not planning for this to be a first." A small smile crept up his lips. "Take 'em out, Zedd."  
  
"Two shish kabobs coming up," Winston said. Back at the firehouse...  
  
"Yes, all my laurels you have riven away and all my roses," Dr. Spengler continued reading almost against his will. He had tried to stop so many times because he could hear the gasps of pain Janine let out every time she breathed or moved a little. She told him to keep reading because the sound of his voice was keeping her calm. Egon wished he could believe that as he read every sentence of the tale trying to hide the emotion that attempted to leak out.  
  
"Yet in spite of you, there is one crown I bear away with me. And tonight, when I enter before God, my salute shall sweep all the stars away," Egon recited. "From the blue threshold! One thing without stain, unspotted from the world, in spite of doom mine own..." Dr. Spengler took in a deep breath as the woman let out another painful gasp. "And that is...that is...my white plume." Dr. Spengler set the book down and looked at the woman lying next to him.  
  
"That's such a beautiful story," Janine said meekly. "I like it almost as much as 'Romeo and Juliet'."  
  
"Shall I read that as well?" Egon inquired. She shook her head slowly with what seemed to be a laugh, but only ended up as a loud coughing attack. "Oh, Janine, hold on." He put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Any minute now the guys will come in and everything will be right once again."  
  
"It wasn't right before," Janine responded. "Egon, I have a little confession."  
  
"What is it?" Dr. Spengler asked.  
  
"When I left the hospital the other day I was so mad at you," Melnitz started. "I went home and trashed everything I could find that had to do with you or the Ghostbusters. I was so ready to quit and leave all of this behind. I swore up and down that I didn't love you anymore. That this whole mess wrecked my life."  
  
"Oh," Egon said quietly. "I see."  
  
"But I was lying, Egon," Janine told him. "I wrote this letter with every lie I could think of that would hurt you, but I didn't mean it. Not one word." The blonde scientist looked down at the woman and could see the tears in her eyes. "Egon, I am so sorry."  
  
"No, don't apologize," he whispered. "It was I who caused all the trouble." He pulled out the handkerchief from the front pocket of his jumpsuit and carefully wiped away her tears. "I was an idiot."  
  
"You can't take all the blame," she said in attempt to lighten the mood here. "There's enough to share."  
  
"Plenty," Egon agreed. Janine laughed a little, but the tears overcame her and she began to sob into his jumpsuit. He held her as she did so and fought the urge to do the same. "Janine, I don't say this often enough, but I love you. I have always loved you no matter what I said."  
  
"Even when you were annoyed with me?" Janine asked.  
  
"Yes. Even than. I've loved you since I've known you," Dr. Spengler said. He shook his head. "No, perhaps that's not completely true. Maybe even before than."  
  
"I'm so sorry," Janine apologized.  
  
"No, no," Dr. Spengler whispered. "Never apologize. You're a strong woman, Janine. You will pull through this. I'm right here to help you."  
  
"Someone always seems to be," the redhead commented softly. "Even when you don't want them to." She gasped in pain again as she moved to lean against Dr. Spengler as she looked out the window. Outside the sun was slowly setting across the skyline that could be seen from the bunkroom's floor. "The sunset is so beautiful."  
  
"You're just as magnificent," Egon told her. There was a moment of silence between the two and Dr. Spengler bit his lip as he listened to the ragged breathing Janine had started a while ago.  
  
"You'll tell my parents what happened, right?" Janine asked.  
  
"I'm not telling them anything," Egon replied. "Because I'm not going to lose you, Janine. I want you to promise me right now that you won't give up. You won't let it win. You will stay with me."  
  
"I don't know, Egon," she responded with a tremble in her usually firm sounding voice. "It's just so hard. Everything hurts."  
  
"It'll all go away soon," he promised. "Just hold on." On the streets of New York...  
  
"Ahh!" Dani shouted as she drove causing her to swerve a bit on the road. Peter quickly leaned over and moved the steering wheel.  
  
"What's wrong?" Dr. Venkman asked.  
  
"I can feel it," Dani answered as she took the steering wheel back and made a big effort to keep herself fixated on the road. The young woman's head throbbed as the vision pounded inside like private rock concert. "It's getting really bad."  
  
"Well, we're almost there," Peter said. "We'll stop it." She glanced at him. "We will. It's a Peter Venkman promise. And when I promise something I don't go back on it."  
  
"How can you promise something like Janine's life?" The blonde inquired. "You can't just tell me she'll live because you said so."  
  
"She's going to, Dani," Peter told her. "I don't care if I have to ask Superman for a favor so he rotate the world backwards a few minutes so I can get there in time."  
  
"If you knew Superman we could have been there by now," Egon's cousin responded.  
  
"If I knew Superman a lot of things might be different," the psychologist replied. "Heck, when I was a kid I would have loved to meet Wonder Woman."  
  
"I've heard," Dani said unenthusiastically. Peter was thrown forward a little as she hit the brakes in her CRV. "Jerk!" Dr. Venkman looked at the car she was yelling at and realized it was Ecto.  
  
"You're yelling at Winston and Ray," the Ghostbuster informed her. She glared at him. "Well, you were."  
  
"That's why I didn't use one of the really bad words." She turned right after the Ghostbusters car flipping on the familiar lights and sounds that were on the original vehicle. "Why didn't I turn this stuff on sooner?"  
  
"Because Ray told you to only use them in an emergency," Peter answered.  
  
"And this isn't?" The blonde made a left turn much to the chagrin of a few New Yorkers. She didn't bother to say anything and sped after Ecto. The converted ambulance had already entered the firehouse. Dani stopped her CRV halfway in the driveway and halfway in the street. She and Peter hopped out leaving the lights on. They ran into the firehouse with Dr. Venkman holding their package.  
  
"What is that?" Winston asked gesturing to the item the brown-haired man had in his hands.  
  
"Seaweed," Peter answered. "Toasted seaweed. It's very salty."  
  
"And it makes your breath smell like fish," Dani included. "Otherwise pretty tasty."  
  
"I hope it'll work," Ray said as he grabbed from his friend's hands. "Let's take this stuff upstairs." They started up the stairs with Dr. Stantz in the lead. He stopped mid-way and smacked himself with the plastic container of seaweed. "We need the book. I left it on Janine's desk."  
  
"I got it," Dani told her boyfriend. "You guys go start setting up." She raced down the stairs as the Ghostbusters ran up.  
  
"Janine," Egon whispered shaking the woman gently. "Janine, answer me." The redhead didn't respond. "Janine, please talk to me. Say anything." He grabbed her thin wrist and checked for a pulse. "No, Janine. Don't do this to me. You promised." He laid her limp body on the bed as he got up. "Janine, don't do this." Dr. Spengler pressed against her chest that breathed into her mouth. "Janine, come on." He repeated the actions a few more times as the tears the physicist had fought back earlier welled up in his eyes. "No, Janine. Damn it, Janine!" Egon checked once more for a pulse, but found nothing. "No!" He sat down on the bed again and picked up her body. The woman's head hung limply off to the side. Tears flowed freely down the man's face. "No, Janine."  
  
"We're here!" Dr. Spengler looked back to see Peter, Ray and Winston standing just inside the doorway.  
  
"Oh, man," Winston breathed as he caught the sight. "We're too late."  
  
"Damn it," Dr. Venkman cursed kicking the wall. He leaned against it and kicked it again in anger.  
  
"No," Ray said breathlessly. He fell to his knees and let go of the white orb in his hand. It rolled away under his bed and Dr. Stantz didn't move to go get it. "No. We had enough time."  
  
"Okay, I have the book," Dani announced as she ran in breathlessly. The young woman saw all the faces than looked at her cousin cradling the lifeless Janine. "Oh, God..."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED....

ENDING #4 has been selected.


	12. Ending 4

This is the full ending. Instead of posting it in small parts I figured I post the whole thing. So, if you read something before just reread it. I'd like to also add that any character that resembles someone who is real has been a bit exaggerated, but I needed that for the story. (Mostly myself and Erin. Thank you, Erin.)

So, enjoy... (Than maybe review.)

* * *

Winston felt sick to his stomach as he watched the paramedics bring Janine down the stairs on a stretcher. A white sheet might be covering the woman, but he vividly remembered how she looked just moments after her death. For nearly ten minutes nobody had moved from their spots. The only noise that could be heard was people crying. All of them were guilty of it. Finally, Peter and Winston had to forcefully persuade Dr. Spengler to let go of Janine's limp body and after they had the physicist disappeared into his lab as the two Ghostbusters carefully situated the woman's body on the bed. They covered it with a blanket and headed out of the room taking a shell- shocked Ray and a red-faced Dani with them.  
  
The four had moved to the living room still silent, but at least looking slightly more comfortable. Peter had walked out for a moment to call for an ambulance and returned to the living room with a pale look. Still no one said anything for quite some time. It was hard to say anything that wouldn't create more tears.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Zeddemore?" The Ghostbuster looked at the speaker to see it was the blonde paramedic who had first come in.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We're going to need someone to come down to the morgue with us and fill out some paperwork on Ms. Melnitz," the woman told him.  
  
"Uh, okay," Winston responded a bit unsure. "Can you hold on a second? I need to talk to one of my colleagues."  
  
"Not to long," the paramedic replied. "We really should be going." Winston nodded and headed back to Peter's office where the psychologist had holed himself up after getting Ray and Dani out of the firehouse to go to Ray's aunt's house so they could spend some time alone and away. Even though Aunt Lois was out of town on a cruise Peter thought it was a good place for the two to go.  
  
"Hey, Pete, they want us to go to the morgue to fill out some paperwork," Zeddemore told the psychologist. "Do you want me to go? Or do you want to do this?" The brown-haired man looked up from desk than slowly stood.  
  
"We should both go," Dr. Venkman answered quietly. "Anything to get us out of here."  
  
"What about Egon?" Winston asked.  
  
"That's why we're both going," Peter said slipping on his jacket. "He might actually come out of the lab and realize this isn't his fault. It isn't anyone's fault." Winston stared at his friend a moment.  
  
"You're having a hard time believing it yourself, aren't you?" The African American inquired quietly. The other Ghostbuster looked at his friend and sighed.  
  
"Yeah, I am," Dr. Venkman admitted. "Let's go." The two got into Ecto-1 and followed the paramedics.

* * *

Dr. Stantz glanced in the refrigerator that sat in his aunt's kitchen. He was hungry and had gotten a neutral answer from his girlfriend. Ray just couldn't decide what to eat or if he should eat something. He just had a hard time pushing the image of Janine lying on Egon's bed not moving, yet looking as if she had fallen asleep. The Ghostbuster never thought it would be her they'd lose. Not that he would have wished death on any of his friends, but the engineer always felt he and his friends would go out with a bang during a big battle.  
  
"Chocolate might help." Ray looked from the interior of the fridge to the voice. Dani was coming into the kitchen attempting to look calm and rational, but he knew what was really going on under the façade. He always knew no matter how hard she tried to hide it.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be any," Dr. Stantz replied. "There really isn't much. Aunt Lois pretty much cleaned out her kitchen."  
  
"Yeah, she wasn't expecting us coming in to scarf down her food," his girlfriend agreed. "Just to water her plants and spend a few minutes making sure everything is okay." The blonde sighed and leaned against the counter. "Why the heck are we being so calm?"  
  
"Would you rather panic?" Ray inquired. "Would you rather we reflect on everything that went wrong?"  
  
"No," Dani answered. "We were just late. A few minutes late." She wrapped her arms around herself. "And Janine paid the price."  
  
"We could have saved her, Dani," Dr. Stantz said as he walked over to the young woman. "We knew exactly what we had to do and just because we were a moment late we lost someone who was extremely important to us all."  
  
"Don't raise your voice at me, Dr. Stantz," Dani warned as she straightened up. "I'm just as upset as you are. I feel bad okay. I feel really bad. I didn't tell you that I felt exactly everything Janine went through just before it happened." She rubbed her face. "Her thoughts, the pain and the damn demon."  
  
"Demon? Was there anything important?" Dani looked into her boyfriend's eyes and he gave her a concerned look. He took her hand. "What was it, Dani?"  
  
"The end of the world, Ray." She bit her bottom lip. "I saw the end of the world."  
  
"What's her parent's phone number?" Peter asked Winston as he looked up from the clipboard. Winston sighed.  
  
"That's the fourth time you've asked me that in the last ten minutes," Winston said. "Just give me the paperwork." Dr. Venkman handed the clipboard to his friend.  
  
"You know I really hate morgues," Peter commented.  
  
"You know someone who actually likes them?" Zeddemore asked glancing at the psychologist.  
  
"No," the Ghostbuster answered. "I'm just trying to avoid thinking about why we're actually here."  
  
"That's not very easy," Winston told him.  
  
"Understatement of the year." Dr. Venkman stood up. "It just doesn't make any sense. We followed everything Ray said to a letter. We got all the junk to stop this and it still happened. Janine never deserved anything like this. Never."  
  
"I know, man," Zeddemore agreed solemnly. "It may not be easy to face up to all of this, but we'll get through it."  
  
"That's easy to say," Peter commented. "It's a lot harder to do." He ran a hand through his hair. "Damn it, Winston. What the hell are we doing to do?"  
  
"Deal with all this the best we can," Winston answered. The Ghostbuster looked back down at the paperwork in front of him. "I can't believe we have to fill out this entire thing. It's absolutely ridiculous."  
  
"Just make it up," Dr. Venkman told him. "Pretend you're BSing your way through a test. I did that a few times in college. Still made good grades."  
  
"I thought you said it was because of Egon." Peter looked at his friend.  
  
"He might have helped me a little," the psychologist agreed. "I don't know if we'll be able to help him now though. He's going to deny all of this for a long time."  
  
"Egon's not the only one." The two Ghostbusters looked at each other in silent understanding. The silence in the waiting room was broken when they heard a loud crash followed by screams coming from the hallway the paramedics had rolled Janine down.  
  
"Forget the paperwork, Winston. We should go see what that's about it." The black man raced past Peter down the hallway and the psychologist took off after him. They reached the last room and pushed open the swinging doors. Both men stopped at the sight that lay before them.  
  
"Oh, shit," Zeddemore muttered. "It looks like..."  
  
"Janine," Peter finished. "A really creepy looking version of Janine."  
  
The woman now had a reddish tint to her as well as what looked like a thin layer of armor. It seemed to stick to her body extenuating her bodily features on her thin frame. She looked around the room in both anger and curiosity. The men both saw a door to one of the slabs tore off and on the floor next to her feet.  
  
"What is this?" She seethed. "Where is my kingdom?"  
  
"Before we answer your questions, maybe you could answer ours," Dr. Venkman said. The thing that looked like Janine turned to him. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am the one you should fear, mortal. You shall bow down to me this instance or I shall break you in half."  
  
"Maybe no one's told you, but you don't exactly go around breaking people in half anymore," Peter replied. "At least not without a proper introduction. I'm Dr. Peter Venkman and this is my friend Winston Zeddemore. We're the Ghostbusters."  
  
"Ghostbusters? What is that word?"  
  
"You still haven't answered our question," Winston interjected. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Miquiztli. I am your death."  
  
"What a way to go out," Peter responded. "Look, Mick, we have a little problem here. You're in our friend's body. That's personal space very few people have ever explored. We'd really appreciate it if you got out of it."  
  
"Stop speaking to me. You are an underling of this world. I require obedience when I rule over my kingdom."  
  
"Sorry. New York belongs to about a few million people. You might want to try Rhode Island. It's nice little state that doesn't do much," Peter said. The woman glared at him.  
  
"Uh, Pete, I don't think we should make her mad," Winston muttered. "We don't really know what she's capable of."  
  
"Grief," Miquiztli scoffed. "Emotions run your lives and yet you try to hide it."  
  
"Look, we just want to get some straight answers out of you. Let's not get philosophical or anything. I highly doubt you're going to get very far with it," Dr. Venkman told the demon. "Unless you plan to become one of those man on a mountain people who give out advice to those who seek it."  
  
"Pete, stop it," Winston said. Miquiztli walked towards the two men and Zeddemore found himself backing up a step. It wasn't so much that he was scared of the small figure that once used to be Janine, but rather what might happen after Dr. Venkman kept flapping his lips.  
  
"You amuse me," Miquiztli commented. "I shall still destroy your body in the most painful form possible, but I enjoy thriving in the emotions you reek of. They are signs of weakness and I shall obliterate all of them from the world."  
  
"Not if we have anything to do about it," Peter said. Miquiztli grinned. The psychologist saw the same look Janine gave him whenever she was about to pick on him. "Maybe we should pick this up later. I've got some work I need to do and I'm sure you've got some army to build. Let's pick this up in...." He didn't finish the rest of his sentence as he felt something grip around his neck, yet nothing seemed to be there. Peter was raised off the floor and he looked down at the shell of his former friend.  
  
"Hey, let him go!" Winston shouted at the demon. The Ghostbuster was thrown through the double doors.  
  
"Soon," Miquiztli told Dr. Venkman. "I shall enjoy your death." The grip was released and the psychologist hit the floor. He watched the demon disappear in a flash of light.  
  
"Pete, you okay?" The psychologist looked up at Winston.  
  
"We're in trouble, Winston. Big trouble."

* * *

Dr. Spengler stared blankly at his computer screen. There were pages upon pages of words in front of him, but none of them registered in his brain. He felt disheartened after the emotional occurrences that had occurred. There was so much to convey and realize, but it was nearly impossible as he sat in his lab going over all of Dr. Stantz's research. The young man had done quite a bit and had come so close to saving Janine's life, but the attempts had fallen short. Janine was gone and there was nothing that could be done to bring her back.  
  
There was one piece of information Egon continued to go back to was the fact the demon didn't just kill his victim, but stole the body. Stole the form and used it against those close. The blonde scientist wasn't sure he could face a demon in Janine's body. He always attempted to keep his emotions out of his job, but it rarely worked. Often they were weaknesses and at the same time they brought the extra strength to the fight.  
  
"You are the one she saw last." Dr. Spengler spun around to see Janine's red tinted body standing in the lab. Her hair was the same color as it had always been, but her skin was now practically the color of a rose and the armor platted outfit was a mix of the red and black. "You are more miserable than the others. More pathetic. It shall be quite easy to exterminate your kind."  
  
"I'm glad you have no need to gloat," Egon retorted. The woman tilted her head a bit. "I believe you feel quite uncomfortable in that form."  
  
"It is adequate," the demon replied. "I shall return to my true form in due time. The host is merely a stepping stone."  
  
"Why did you come here?" Dr. Spengler asked as he stood. "To torment me? To share your ultimate plan of bringing the world to an end?"  
  
"It would make no difference," the woman responded. "I shall squash the mortals of this world so as I might rule again. I have been trapped for so long in that box merely waiting for someone to release me. There shall be no stopping my objective."  
  
"Than leave," Egon said. "You're being rather annoying and I don't wish to waste time with you if all you want to do is talk. I'm in no mood to listen to some whiny demon go on about their plans for world domination." He took off his glasses and glowered at the form that used to be Janine. "You stole one of the people I care most about in the world and every fiber in my being is telling me to rip you apart. Unless you have something that has some kind of bearing as to how we can stop you than I honestly suggest you leave."  
  
"Talk. All you have is talk. Your weaponry and intellect are no equivalent to what I have accumulated in my lifetime. The world has become weak and I shall bring it back to full strength once again."  
  
"You apparently haven't had much experience with the modern world," Dr. Spengler said as he put his glasses back on. "It's changed since your time."  
  
"I will change it once again. I am the past, present and future. Before it is over I shall have either killed you or forced you to bow down to my power."  
  
"I'm quite sure that shall be the same day I win the Nobel Prize for world peace." The demon directed a low growl in his direction. "Oh, is that supposed to frighten me? I'll have you know I've actually met a Terror..." An invisible force threw the physicist off his feet into a bookcase on the wall. He hit the floor face down and books showered upon him. Egon lifted his head and heard a creaking noise. The Ghostbuster looked up to see the bookcase begin to fall towards him. He rolled off to the side and the bookcase missed him by just an inch.  
  
"I do not tolerate disobedience," Miquiztli said. Egon stood up slowly and looked at her. "You may have succeeded before, but I have destroyed more powerful beings than yourselves."  
  
"We shall see," Dr. Spengler replied. The woman's head slowly went from side to side than an almost inhuman scream came from her throat. He covered his ears and watched as the windows shattered followed by a number of other items in the lab. The physicist squeezed his eyes closed as his lenses broke. The sound came to a stop and he opened his eyes, quickly removing his glasses. Egon looked in the direction of Miquiztli only able to see the blurred figure.  
  
"I tire of this," the demon woman said.  
  
"Than perhaps you should return from where you've come from," Egon suggested. "If we could avoid any fighting I'd appreciate it."  
  
"Sniveling coward. I shall take your beating heart in my hand and watch you take your last breath."  
  
"You know it's getting rather infuriating how you continually threaten, yet do nothing as you stand there." The Ghostbuster felt himself thrown across the room again. He was knocked unconscious to the sound of laughter.

* * *

"Do no open until Doomsday!" The door shouted in its monotone voice. A figure approached it in the darkness of the empty tunnel. "Do not open until Doomsday!"  
  
"That day has come." Miquiztli stepped into the eerie lighting a few feet in front of the door. "Abierto." The door slowly swung open and the demon smiled. "The world shall be mine."

* * *

"This isn't fair," Dani objected as Ray and Peter carried her out of the firehouse. Slimer followed them after being told he needed to keep an eye on the young blonde. "I need to stay here. I need to help."  
  
"No, you need to leave," Ray responded. They opened the driver's side door of the young woman's CRV and set her inside. "New York isn't safe anymore."  
  
"I don't care," the blonde replied. She fought against the two men as they put her seatbelt on. "I know what I need to do. I have to stay here and help you all save the world." Slimer made himself in the backseat of the vehicle.  
  
"No, you need to leave," Dr. Venkman told her. "Miquiztli is going to kick our asses and one of them needs to be away from here." Peter glanced at the green ghost in the back. "Two if you count the spud."  
  
"I can protect myself. I can help. I need to stay. You guys need me."  
  
"Dani, listen to me," Dr. Stantz started. The blonde looked at her boyfriend. "I love you. I really do. That's why I need you to do this. Miquiztli is powerful. Very powerful. If we can't stop him than the rest of the world's going to need some help. You're going to have to contact the president."  
  
"The president?" Dani repeated. "Please tell me you're kidding."  
  
"That's what I said," Peter interjected. "But it was Egon's idea. We spent a long month in Washington coming up with a big plan."  
  
"Okay, let me make sure I have this straight," Egon's cousin started. "You want me to leave New York so I don't get killed by Miquiztli who has taken over Janine's body. I'm supposed to go to Ohio and wait this out, while you guys get to play war with the big bad monster. If I don't hear from you guys than I'm supposed to contact the president and he'll know what to do."  
  
"Yes," the two men answered.  
  
"We loaded the CRV with two extra packs, a Slime blower, and a few other pieces of equipment," Dr. Stantz said.  
  
"What about the kitchen sink?" The young woman retorted.  
  
"The kitchen sink?" Ray repeated looking confused. Peter chuckled and the engineer gave his girlfriend a look. "Very cute. You're a laugh riot, Dani."  
  
"You do realize I know how this will turn out?" Dani asked.  
  
"Let us be surprised for once," Peter said. The blonde gave him a look when all she really wanted to do was hug him.  
  
The calm surrounding the group was destroyed as the street suddenly began to quiver. Ray and Peter nearly hopped into the car with Dani as the buildings along the street shook violently. A nearby streetlamp crashed on to a parked pick-up. The light coming from the full moon slowly started to disappear and Peter looked upward.  
  
"Holy crap," Dr. Venkman muttered as he looked up. "That doesn't look normal."  
  
"Are you guys okay?" Winston asked as he and Dr. Spengler joined the group outside. He looked up to see what Peter was looking at. "What is that?" Egon, Ray and Dani looked up as well.  
  
"I believe Miquiztli has opened the door," Egon stated. His friends looked at him. "Remember the door in the subway?"  
  
"The one that yelled at me?" Peter replied. His friend nodded. "Miquiztli opened it?" The blonde scientist nodded again.  
  
"Than we need to close it," Winston said.  
  
"That might be rather difficult," Egon responded. He narrowed his brow a bit than winced at the pain coming from under the bandage on his forehead. "Miquiztli is a rather powerful being. To have brought forth a creature like that required more energy than the force behind that door could create without the proper combination of powers."  
  
"We might need to rig something up, Egon," Ray responded with what Dani thought was a twinkle in his eyes. Something she hadn't seen for a while. "The proton packs themselves may not work."  
  
"Hey, are you guys forgetting about something?" Dani interjected. They looked at her. "I'm still here. You're talking and I'm hearing."  
  
"You need to get out of here," Dr. Stantz said once again. "Do you remember everything I said?"  
  
"Yes, dad," the young woman murmured with a roll of her eyes. Ray gave her yet another look. "Sorry." She touched his cheek. "I love you, Ray."  
  
"I love you too." They shared a kiss as the three other Ghostbusters looked away for a moment. Dani slowly released Dr. Stantz and gazed into his eyes for a moment.  
  
"Be careful," she whispered. He nodded with a look of determination on his face. The blonde squeezed his hand and slowly let it slip away as Ray moved away from the car door. Winston stepped up with a sympathetic look on his face.  
  
"I'm not much of a follow up to that," he said.  
  
"Nobody really can be," Dani told him. "Of course you've never kissed me so I wouldn't know." Zeddemore shook his head. "Kick the bad guy's ass."  
  
"I'll do my best," Winston replied. She gave the man a big hug and he returned it. "You get out of here and don't look back until we tell you." The young woman nodded.  
  
"I promise to listen." The Ghostbuster gave her one last look before following Ray back towards the firehouse. They were standing just outside the opened double doors watching as the farther reaches of New York seemed to slowly disappear because of the earthquakes or the darkness covering the city.  
  
"Do I get a kiss?" Dr. Venkman inquired as he stepped up. Egon's cousin laughed. "I guess that's a no."  
  
"I guess just this once wouldn't hurt." Dani grabbed him by the collar of his jumpsuit than pulled him close to plant one. Before letting him go she whispered into his ear, "You tell Ray and I'll have to kill you."  
  
"Right," Peter said as he straightened up. "Before I forget. I have something for you."  
  
"It can't be the same thing," the blonde told him.  
  
"No. It's something else all together." He glanced at Dr. Spengler who seemed to be engrossed in the night sky as well as the readings he seemed to be getting of his PKE meter. The Ghostbuster pulled out a gray-tinted CD case out of his jumpsuit pocket and handed it to the young woman.  
  
"What's this?" Dani inquired. "Aside from the fact it is a CD, why are you giving it to me?" The psychologist grinned.  
  
"Some would call it evidence and others would say blackmail," Peter told her. "Enjoy."  
  
"Okay," the blonde replied with a look. "Thanks." Dr. Venkman nodded and she gave him a hug. "Good luck."  
  
"Luck," Peter repeated with a smug look. "We don't need no stinkin' luck." Dani smiled at him and shook her head with a sigh.  
  
"You know, Peter, you need all the luck you can get," she responded quietly. "I just hope you can find it." The psychologist gave her a grin.  
  
"Don't sweat it, babe," Peter told her. He glanced at Egon again. "I should probably let you talk to him. He could use a few peppy words. I highly doubt I'll ever see him happy again after this."  
  
"He will be," Dani said. "Even if we have to force a smile on him." Once again the ground rumbled and the street began to split down the middle. A sulfury smell came out from the crack. "That's not good."  
  
"Dani, I really think it's time you leave," Dr. Spengler told her as he came to the open door. "Everything is gradually becoming worse."  
  
"Gradually?" Dr. Venkman repeated. "Oh, great." He shook his head and walked away. Dani watched him join the other two Ghostbusters as they lingered outside the firehouse. She became tempted once again to flee the small space of her vehicle and stay with them, but they didn't want her to. They knew the worst possible scenario and she knew it as well. The picture had become part of others in a montage inside the young woman's head that continually made her feel cold and useless.  
  
"Dani, tell mother everything," Egon started. The blonde turned to look at her cousin. "She'd want to know."  
  
"That's the worse good-bye I have ever heard," Dani told him. Egon looked at her and she could see the man was in no joking mood. The bandage on his forehead was almost falling off and there were small cuts along his face that gave him a battered hero look. His blue eyes seemed to be filled with pain and sadness. Peter might have been right when he said Dr. Spengler may never be happy again. "Egon, I am so sorry."  
  
"It wasn't your doing," Dr. Spengler responded sullenly. "Sometimes events happen that we can not prevent. As much as we try there is no happy ending and often one must face the tragedy head on without the aide of explanation as to why."  
  
"The why is always the hardest," his cousin agreed. She picked up his free hand and squeezed it tightly. "But don't ever forget the good stuff." Dani gave him a smile as tears began to slowly trickle down her face. "If you do I'll have to hurt you and don't think I won't."  
  
"You always seem to do what you put your mind to," Egon replied with some amusement in his voice. "Your support helped us immensely."  
  
"I wish I could be more helpful." She held up a hand to stop him from speaking. "I know, Egon. I don't need lecture number billion and one. I understand the danger. I've seen it." The young woman gently touched her forehead. "Sometimes I feel like Harry Potter with the intense visions and the aching skull afterward." Dani sighed. "Oh, well."  
  
"I believe we should say good-bye," Egon stated bluntly. "The longer you stay the more danger you can get into. It's imperative you leave the city as soon as possible."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I know I got it, Egon."  
  
"I apologize. My mind is still rather jumbled. I can't stop thinking..." Dr. Spengler paused in mid-sentence and glanced through the windshield of Dani's CRV at his friends attempting to keep their cool as the rest of the New York was being engulfed in chaos. A chaos they would soon have to face and attempt to stop or the rest of the world would be destroyed.  
  
"I know," the young woman whispered. She pulled Egon into a hug and held him tightly. "Think happy thoughts."  
  
"I shall try," he replied. His cousin let him go and he backed away closing the door as he did so.  
  
She started up her car and pulled into the small driveway outside the firehouse giving the other three Ghostbusters one last wave before going into reverse to turn around and go down the opposite end of the street. Dani glanced in rearview mirror and watched as the firehouse slowly disappeared from her view. She could feel the tears flow down her face once again and picked up the CD case Peter had given her.  
  
"I hope there are some good songs on here," she muttered as she fumbled opening the case. Dani opened it than stuck the CD into the car's radio system.  
  
_"Okay, this is to prove that our very own Egon Spengler does sing when he thinks no one is listening."_ Peter's voice came over her sound system. _"We're also going to capture Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Janine Melnitz as well."_ Dani giggled in her seat. _"Alright, here we go."  
_  
_"I was beat incomplete. I'd been had, I was sad and blue. But you made me feel. Yeah, you made me feel. Shiny and new,"_ Dr. Spengler sang unknown to him he was being recorded. _"Like a virgin. Touched for the very first time. Like a virgin. When your heart beats. Next to mine."  
_  
The Ghostbusters watched as Dani's CRV drove away from the firehouse. They looked at each other than back out at New York. The large creature was still lingering over the city nearly blocking out the full moon. The city shook once again more violently than the first time. The guys lost their footing as the sidewalk began to shift and causing them to fall to the ground. Peter landed on top of Ray, Egon hit the sidewalk shattering his third pair of glasses that week, and Winston hit the side of the firehouse.  
  
"We really need to stop this," Zeddemore said as he helped Dr. Spengler to his feet. "I'm not having funny anymore."  
  
"Hey, that's my line," Peter told him as he got off Dr. Stantz. "Just because the world's about to end doesn't mean you can steal my material."  
  
"I'm afraid that won't matter much longer," Egon said. His friends looked at him once more. "We must get down there as soon as possible. The longer we dawdle the more time Miquiztli has to infuse her power with what's behind the door. We've only see part of what it's done."  
  
"Than we need to get down there," Ray concluded. "This might be an opportune time to use our new invention."  
  
"A new invention?" Winston and Peter said to together. They exchanged looks of fright than turned back to the scientists.  
  
"That's a bad idea, Tex," Dr. Venkman replied. "Something new on a big bad who thought it would be fun to unleash Hell on earth is probably not the best idea. You don't know if it'll work or not."  
  
"It might," Dr. Stantz responded. "Egon and I did try it out a few times on Slimer. It's supposed to capture some of the entities essence which weakens it."  
  
"How could you tell it worked on him?" Peter asked. "He's already a lazy blob. Luckily, now a lazy blob who is leaving New York."  
  
"There were differences in the readings," Egon informed him. "However it might prove to be rather useless on Miquiztli."  
  
"We won't know until we try," Zeddemore interjected. "We need all the power we can get if we're going to send Miquiztli back where she came from." The Ghostbusters nearly fell once more as the ground rumbled. From the cracks in the sidewalk and the street came bursts of fire. The men could feel the warmth and it was like stepping inside a sauna wearing a parka.  
  
"Well, I'm all up for it," Peter said as the fire died down. "Let's do it, guys."

* * *

Their proton beams crackled in the tunnel as yet another ghost resembling a giant squid attempted to shoot a stream of stinky, black ectoplasm at them. The Ghostbusters had only made it part of the way on the train after the zombies had forced them. They seemed to have escalated in strength making it a bit more difficult for the four men to make their journey. Egon had suggested the early departure to save some power in their packs. Ray had decided to not only wear his proton pack, but the engineer was also carrying the invention, which resembled a leaf blower and had been aptly named Essence Sucker since the two scientists hadn't been able to come up with another title.  
  
"This is not fun anymore," Dr. Venkman told his friends. "Somebody throw out the trap."  
  
"I'm on it!" Ray shouted from the far side of the tunnel. He threw out the trap under the giant ghostly squid and a brilliant flash of light emitted from it causing the ghost to disappear. "We're almost out of traps."  
  
"Unfortunately, we weren't expecting this much trouble," Dr. Spengler responded. "Our last trip down here was less tumultuous."  
  
"Last time we weren't trying to stop Miquiztli," Winston replied.  
  
"Don't remind me," Peter said. "I'm still having a hard time with something that's ten times worse than Janine." He instantly regretted having said the secretary's name as he glanced over at Egon. The physicist had stopped half a second and had a sad look on his face before focusing back on the PKE meter. "I hope that toy of yours is going to work, Ray."  
  
"It should," Dr. Stantz told him. "Well, not alone. With the combination of the energy from the packs and this we ought to be able to do this."  
  
"I just hope nothing extra pops up," Winston said.  
  
"Raymond, I'm getting some rather strange spikes in the energy readings," Egon informed the engineer.  
  
"Great," Zeddemore muttered.  
  
"What is it?" Peter asked.  
  
"It could be a number of things," Ray answered. "Miquiztli has become rather powerful by opening the door. We could be looking at something quite like the coming of Gozer."  
  
"I thought we sealed that off?"  
  
"Doors like that aren't meant to stay closed forever," Dr. Spengler stated. "We were only to close it temporarily by crossing the streams. I don't believe it is Gozer this time. That door is above Dana's old building and from what I could tell nothing remarkable has been happening in that location for quite some time. Though I'm sure a few ghosts can still get through at any time."  
  
"Can we focus back on to what those spikes are supposed to mean?" Peter inquired. Before he could receive an answer the ground underneath the Ghostbusters feet began to move again. The psychologist watched as the ground slowly began to separate between the guys. Winston and Peter quickly jumped over before it got to wide. They looked back at Egon and Ray.  
  
"Jump, guys!" Winston yelled. The ceiling seemed to be coming down around them. Rocks and dust filled the tunnel. The two Ghostbusters almost couldn't see the two scientists as the light that had somehow managed to seep into the abandoned subway disappeared in the swirl of dirt. The shaking increased and the two men hit the floor.  
  
"Egon! Ray!" Peter shouted. His voice vibrated and the psychologist was hit in the left shoulder by a falling rock. "Gah!" Light slowly returned to the tunnel. At least where the part they were in.  
  
"Pete, you okay?" The brown haired man felt himself being gripped tightly. He was turned around and ended up face to face with Winston. "Aw, damn. I bet that hurt." Peter glanced at his shoulder and saw that it was bleeding.  
  
"Forget it," Peter said. He brushed away Winston's hand who had stuck a handkerchief on the spot. The man had managed to stuff it where the cloth had been split in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "We have to find Egon and Ray."  
  
"Not when we can't see more than five feet in front of our face," Winston replied. "Let's try to stay in one place. I'd rather not fall down anything." He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Egon! Ray!" The dust in the air seemed to clear quickly and the two saw Dr. Spengler looking down the large crack that had formed in the tunnel. It seemed to be ten feet wide. Impossible for any of them to jump back over unless they were Superman.  
  
"Uh, Spengs, what are you looking at?" Peter inquired as he and Winston joined him. Egon glanced at them with an expressionless face. "Egon, what happened?"  
  
"I tried to catch him," Dr. Spengler said. "I made the jump and he tossed over the Essence Sucker." The physicist gestured to the invention lying a few feet off to his right. "He jumped and I had him. I had his hand, Peter, but something hit me. I don't know what it was and I lost the grip."  
  
"Oh, man," Winston whispered. He peered down the fracture in the ground as well. It was a ridiculous attempt as seeing the deep valley was pitch black. Even a flashlight wouldn't make it down very far.  
  
"I called him a few times and I've gotten no reply," Egon continued. His shoulders drooped and Peter watched as a pained expression formed on his friend's face. "There seems to be a pattern going on. I'm losing everyone I care about. First Janine and than I sent Dani away just so she would be safe." He turned to Peter. "But that won't happen unless we defeat Miquiztli, which could become rather difficult without Raymond. The odds were already against us and now it looks like there's significant indication we could very well lose."  
  
"Stop it," Peter told him. "We're going to figure a way out of this. We always do. Ray, Janine and Dani may not be here right now, but they wouldn't want you to feel this way. They all trusted you. They all believed in us. And now we need to pull it together and win this one for them. We've never given up, Egon. Even when it looked the bleakest. Let's not start now. If we lose than we lose, but no one will be able to say we didn't try. But if we leave now than we aren't doing our job. And I have a reputation to maintain."  
  
"Most women are over the egomaniacal hero thing," Winston interjected. "They like the monotonic man who spouts off intellectual quotes." Dr. Venkman shot him a look, but Zeddemore could see a small twinkle in Egon's eyes. Peter looked back the tall blonde.  
  
"What do you say, big guy?" Peter asked. "I know this hasn't been easy for you, but can't we go for one more win? Do one more good deed for the century? Kick one more bat back into Hell before we hang it up for a while?"  
  
"I believe I can do that," Egon said. "I feel a certain need to finish this." He closed his eyes a moment. "An obligation to those who have depended on me to do always do the right thing."  
  
"That's all I wanted to hear," Dr. Venkman said. He clapped his friend on the back and glanced at the large crevice. "We'll see you on the other side, buddy." They all stared at it a moment before turning around to continue on down the tunnel, but were surprised by a dirt covered person stumbling towards.  
  
"Oh, guys," the person breathed. He wiped away some of the dirt revealing an exhausted Ray. "I didn't think I'd make it back up, but there was the ledge thing and I followed it around and it lead back up here like a flight of stairs. Of course, there weren't stairs. It was more like ramp. Really steep too. I almost thought I wouldn't make it." The engineer would have continued his story, but his three friends suddenly threw themselves at him and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Raymond, why didn't you answer me?" Egon asked as they released him. He gave Dr. Spengler a confused look.  
  
"I didn't hear anything," Ray answered. "I kept calling out, but I didn't get anything back except the echo of my own voice. It was kinda weird down there. I would have gotten readings, but I broke my PKE meter on the drop." He made a pained movement as he moved a bit.  
  
"Did you break anything on yourself?" Winston inquired.  
  
"I don't think so," Dr. Stantz replied. "I just landed hard. Took the wind out of me than the ramp I took was kinda steep. I just have some bruises. Nothing big." Dr. Venkman gave him a scrutinizing look than did a scan of his friend. His eyes moved up and down. The auburn haired man was covered in quite a bit of dirt. It seemed at least an inch thick and covered heavily the parts of his clothes that gave any identifying marks of him being a Ghostbuster. Ray took a moment to dust himself off as he did. Peter finally noticed the blood coming from his left thigh.  
  
"What's that?" The psychologist pointed to Ray's leg. He looked down and grinned sheepishly.  
  
"I, uh, kinda tripped over a small stalagmite," Ray explained. "It was dark and my flashlight wasn't on the ground. There was some interesting writing on the wall. It looked a bit like the figures the Ancient Egyptians used, but I knew it was ridiculous for them to be here."  
  
"Well, the important thing is that you're safe," Egon interrupted. "I felt responsible for letting you fall." A wave of realization went through the youngest Ghostbuster's eyes and he looked at his friends.  
  
"You guys thought I was dead?"  
  
"It was a possibility," Winston said.  
  
"Oh, wow," Ray breathed. "I, well..." He was at a loss for words. The man was unsure what to say. Death wasn't exactly something he wanted to think about again. He knew that it was a possibility as they ventured closer to the door, but the idea his friends thought they had lost him after Janine's death and after sending away Dani was a bit nerve wracking. The last thing they needed was to deal with another loss.  
  
"Let's just think about some happy thoughts," Peter said breaking the silence. "Like maybe how the Yankees might win the world series."  
  
"You know for a fact, Peter, that I don't watch sports," Egon replied.  
  
"Oh, really? Than how come I saw you stop on ESPN last Saturday night while you were channel surfing? You watched it for a good ten minutes than flipped it when you realized someone was in the room."  
  
"I was merely watching in an attempt understand the attraction some people find for the channel," Dr. Spengler responded.  
  
"Yeah. The same reason you sit down and watch cartoons," Dr. Venkman said as he walked on down the tunnel with a sense of whim in his voice. "You're attempting to understand the mindset of the countless brainwashed people in the world who find the animated characters amusing."  
  
"Hey!" Ray protested and went after his friend. "People who watch cartoons aren't brainwashed. The shows are really good. A lot better than those dumb reality shows. The cartoons have characters that represent the good of the world."  
  
"Okay, okay," Peter said. "I was just kidding." Dr. Stantz gave his friend a look. Egon and Winston glanced at each other.  
  
"You know I'm really beginning to hope Miquiztli does destroy us," Winston started. "Because I just don't know how much more of that I can take."  
  
"We've managed to last this long," Egon replied with a look of whimsy in his eyes. "It's rather fortunate we still have a sense of humor despite everything." The physicist let out a deep breath as he glanced over his shoulder as if bidding everything behind him a final, silent good-bye. "Shall we carry on? I'd rather not become the rotten egg again." Winston chuckled and the two went after their friends. They finally caught up to Peter and Ray who had stopped about a couple hundred feet away.  
  
"What are guys looking at?" Winston asked. He didn't need his friends to answer him as he saw the expansive scene before them. It looked like part of the Netherworld had found its place under New York in the abandoned subway tunnel. Fires spouted from open cracks in the floor much like the one they had narrowly escaped. Ghosts and demons alike wondered the area between them and the door directly across from them.  
  
"Hey, Ray, this remind you of something?" Dr. Stantz glanced over at the psychologist with a quizzical look. "That movie we were watching last week."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Ray said. "Only the special effects in that weren't nearly as good as this."  
  
"Gentlemen, I don't remember critic being part of our job description," Egon interjected. "We should be making our way across to attempt to close the door or at least weaken Miquiztli so as to make it easier to capture her."  
  
"How do you propose we get over there?" Peter inquired. "You want to march through that?" The physicist turned to his friend and Dr. Venkman's jaw drop. "Oh, come on. You gotta have a better plan than that. I'm usually the one that has the crazy idea and you give me a lecture about it."  
  
"I'm afraid there isn't another," Dr. Spengler responded. Peter stared at him a moment. Ray and Winston watched the brown haired Ghostbuster as his face went through a parade of emotions and thoughts.  
  
"I love this plan," Peter exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Let's do it." Egon nodded and took the point as they exited the safer part of the tunnel and entered the Netherworld-likeness. The men pulled out their proton rifles as the various ghosts and demons that were in the chamber began to stop and look at them. None of them seemed about ready to attack, but stared at the Ghostbusters as if they were part of a freak show.  
  
"Why aren't they doing anything?" Winston asked.  
  
"Probably instructed not to," Dr. Stantz answered. "Or waiting for a real opportune moment. Maybe when we're at our weakest." Zeddemore shook his head.  
  
"Thanks for that good feeling, man."  
  
"I've been waiting for you," a loud voice said. The chamber shook as it echoed. "You have come to witness the end of everything you know."  
  
"Well, first you have to get through us," Peter replied. "So, come on out and show yourself. Fight fair for once."  
  
"Fair means nothing to me, but I shall show myself to you once more before I destroy you all." They watched as the demon appeared before them in swirl of red. Miquiztli didn't have the same form that Egon, Winston, and Peter had seen before. She was now taller at about two feet above the men as she stood a few feet in front of them and some of the reddish-black armor had disappeared revealing more red skin.  
  
"Whoa," Ray breathed as he stared at her. The young man hadn't had the opportunity to meet the demon before like his friends. "Miquiztli looks a bit different from what you guys described."  
  
"It's the energy Miquiztli has taken," Egon said. "Before Miquiztli looked more like..." The physicist stopped and glared at the red being a moment. "I made a promise to myself that I'd either destroy you or die in the process."  
  
"Than death it shall be."

* * *

"Damn it!" Dani shouted as she slammed on her brakes. Her CRV came to a sudden stop on the dirt road she had been driving on as part of a shortcut to her aunt's as advised by Ray and Egon. She hit the horn on the steering wheel as she muttered a few words of profanity. "I can't believe them."  
  
"Dani?" Slimer asked from the backseat. She glanced back at the green ghost.  
  
"They don't want me there, Slimer, but since when do I listen to them?" Dani replied. "I mean I do, but this is big. They need all the help they can get. And I'm going to do that. I don't care what they say."  
  
"Call Egon's mom," Slimer told her. Dani looked at the ghost a moment.  
  
"I didn't even think you'd remember where we were going," Dani responded.  
  
"Slimer listen good." She giggled a bit than turned around in her seat and grabbed her messenger bag. She dug inside and pulled out her cell phone than quickly dialed a number.  
  
"Hello." An older woman with a cheery voice answered.  
  
"Aunt Katie, its Dani."  
  
"Hi, honey. Are how you?" The blonde sighed heavily. "Oh, dear. That was a ridiculous question. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."  
  
"No, it's okay. I, uh, wanted to tell you something. You might not like it, but I made up my mind and there's no changing it."  
  
"I suspected I might be hearing from you," Egon's mother replied. "After Egon told me what was happening and why he wanted you to come here I was able to come up with a few theories about what would happen."  
  
"Theories, Aunt Katie? Couldn't you just say something like conclusions? I deal with Theory Boy too much."  
  
"I have you beat by a few years, sweetheart. I was married to one and the other I raised until he left for college."  
  
"Okay, you win, Aunt Katie." There was a moment of silence between the two women. Dani tried to come up with the perfect sentence to tell the older woman, but eloquence escaped her. "I'm not coming, Aunt Katie."  
  
"I know, dear," Mrs. Spengler said. "I tried to tell Egon he wouldn't be able to get away with this, but he doesn't listen. I don't know how he managed to get you to leave, but I had a guess you'd catch on before you actually made it here."  
  
"Well, Egon wasn't the only one in on it," the young woman replied. "All the guys gave me a nice little talk complete with some nice good-byes. They really wanted me to go."  
  
"I'm sure you could understand how they feel. They honestly do care about you, sweetheart, and they'd rather not see you get hurt. I don't want to see that either, but this is important to you."  
  
"You just don't want to hear my speech, do you?"  
  
"Not particularly, Dani. I'm sure it's quite wonderful and everything, but there are some reporters knocking on my door. They have been doing it for quite some time. They want to know what's going on in New York."  
  
"Just tell them the usual," Dani told her aunt. A sad smile formed on her face mixed with unseen tears welling up in her eyes. "It's the end of the world."  
  
"I'll alert the press," Katherine retorted. Dani let out a laugh than sniffled. "You be safe, dear. I expect to hear from you after this."  
  
"I'll try, Aunt Katie. Thanks for understanding."  
  
"It's my job. I'm a mother."  
  
"And a pretty darn good one at that," the blonde told her.  
  
"Thank you, dear. Good luck."  
  
"Thanks. Bye, Aunt Katie."  
  
"Good-bye, sweetheart." Dani hit the end button on her cell phone and stuck it back in her messenger bag. She than turned her car around to go back in the direction she had just come from. Back to New York to join in the guys and assist in anyway possible. The blonde glanced back at Slimer. "Hold on to your lunch, spud. We're going back."  
  
"Back home?"  
  
"Only if we survive this thing." Dani turned back around in her seat and hit the accelerator. Her engine roared to life and the CRV took off down the road. "It's time to show the guys that girls can play just as rough."

* * *

Ray peered around the edge of his makeshift cover, which happened to be the remaining part of a building wall that had been destroyed in the fight between the Ghostbusters and Miquiztli. Only Miquiztli had done more damage than them. The engineer had used the Essence Sucker, but it was promptly destroyed by the now ten foot red demon. He doubted the invention did much of anything to the demon except give it a reason to laugh at them once more.  
  
Dr. Stantz glanced one last time looking for any signs of his friends. Once Miquiztli had raised his kingdom from underground they had been separated. He had occasionally heard Peter yelling something about how he wasn't having any fun or that when this was over he was taking a long vacation, but that had been it. Ray didn't know if Egon and Winston were alright and he was uncertain if he'd ever know. Especially after the walkie-talkies the guys had were no longer working. The Ghostbuster felt tired and was ready to put all of this behind him. The events had taken him a toll on him both emotionally and physically and Ray wasn't sure how much longer he could take it.  
  
"Ray." A hand landed on his shoulder and Dr. Stantz jumped.  
  
"Ah!" He turned around and aimed his proton rifle at the newcomer. Ray realized who it was and eased up. He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God. I thought you were one Miquiztli's little friends, Egon."  
  
"Seems to have made quite a few," Dr. Spengler responded. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"Okay, I guess," Ray replied. "I'm just not sure how much longer we can hold Miquiztli off. He's gotten really powerful and our packs are running a bit low."  
  
"I have been considering a few ideas," Egon said. He moved to a sitting position against the wall and let out a hissing sound. Ray noticed the red stain on the front of his friend's jumpsuit around the waist.  
  
"You're bleeding," Dr. Stantz stated. "Egon, you're hurt. There's no way you're going to do anything." Dr. Spengler glanced at his friend than down at himself.  
  
"Yes. Rather unfortunate," Egon agreed. "However you aren't without a few bruises yourself. No one said we'd walk away from this unscathed."  
  
"I know, but I was kinda hoping we'd walk away," Ray told him. The physicist gave his friend a look. "Yeah, I know, Egon. Just another ridiculous thought of mine. If I had known today was going to be the day than I might have done a few things differently."  
  
"I don't believe you're alone in that thinking," Dr. Spengler said. "Unfortunately, we must live our life without knowledge of what is to come. I honestly never believed I would be ridding the world of ghosts, demons and other various entities when I was growing up. I had thought I'd become a rather important scientist."  
  
"That last part is kinda true," Ray pointed out. "Only if you don't think about all those people who still believe we're crazy." Egon chuckled than winced at the movement in caused in his side. Suddenly someone dived behind the wall with them. The person looked up and stared at them.  
  
"What's this? A tea party?"  
  
"Hello, Venkman," Dr. Spengler greeted. Peter mumbled something in return as he moved into a sitting position. Egon noticed the numerous cuts and scrapes covering his friend head to toe.  
  
"Are you okay, Peter?" Ray asked.  
  
"Do I look okay? Because if I do than must have some great imagination to just be making up all the pain I'm feeling," Peter shot back. The Ghostbuster looked a bit taken aback by his friend's sudden outburst. "Sorry, Tex. I'm just a little annoyed. Our new friend can't take a hint."  
  
"I don't think Miquiztli is simply going to give up because we continue to fight," Egon said. "We really must come up with a way to stop him once and for all."  
  
"I'm all ears, Spengs," Dr. Venkman replied. "What's your plan?" The blonde looked flabbergasted a moment.  
  
"I don't have anything," Egon confessed. "I'm unsure of how to do so. Our one possible chance was destroyed quite quickly. There's nothing left."  
  
"Couldn't we just do it the old fashioned way?" Peter responded. "Just cross the streams and be done with it."  
  
"We could, but there isn't one definite place we could aim," Ray said. "There's still the remaining energy behind the door that Miquiztli is linked to, but there's no definite way we could get the time we need to do that. Than there's Miquiztli himself, but that just might cause more damage than any good."  
  
"I don't think damage is a big problem," Peter retorted. "A good majority of the city has pretty much been destroyed. And we're probably going to get blamed for it."  
  
"I believe that's the least of our worries," Egon said.  
  
"Thanks for that statement, Mr. Obvious," Dr. Venkman muttered. Peter looked around. "As much as I hate to say this we really need to get back out there."  
  
"To do what?" Ray asked. "Every time we take one step forward we ending having to take three steps back. We aren't making a dent anywhere. We weren't prepared for this and even if we had enough time to come up with something I don't think we would have gotten much farther." Peter stared at his friend a moment.  
  
"Cynicism does not become you," Peter told him. "There's got to be something up your sleeve, Tex." He glanced at Egon. "Come on, Spengs. I know you want to get Big Red where the sun don't shine."  
  
"Incoming!" The three men winced at what sounded like an explosion. Dust showered the men as the remaining member of their team dived behind the wall with them. Peter was taken down and looked at his friend.  
  
"Hi, Winston," Dr. Venkman greeted. "I was wondering when you'd show up." Zeddemore quickly got off the psychologist.  
  
"While you've been relaxing I've been getting my butt kicked out there," Winston said. "I really hoping you've been planning something or I'm going to have to take you all down right now."  
  
"I suppose you could say we've been formulating a thought or two," Dr. Spengler responded. Peter and Ray looked at him in surprise.  
  
"So, what's the plan?" Winston inquired. A look of determination filled the physicist's eyes.  
  
"Well, it goes a bit like this..."

* * *

Dani sped through the broken streets of New York. She swerved effortlessly to get around the debris and downed buildings. The young woman was hoping she would make it in time. Especially after being gone for nearly four hours. She knew a lot could happen in that time and hoped the end hadn't come for the Ghostbusters.  
  
"Yaahhh!" Slimer shouted as Dani made a rather dangerous right turn that nearly turned the CRV sideways.  
  
"Sorry," the blonde apologized. "I'm not exactly following the rules of the road, but when the road looks like shredded ribbons the rules have probably lost all meaning." She couldn't also help, but noticed all the ghosts and weird looking things wandering the streets.  
  
"Bad ghosts," Slimer muttered. "Bad, bad."  
  
"Thanks for that observation," Dani retorted. "I think they're just coming out for fun. I don't think the guys could have dealt with them and the Janine demon at the same time. It would have been difficult and time consuming."  
  
"Time," Slimer repeated. "Running out." Dani looked back at the green ghost.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She inquired than realized what she was doing was rather stupid and quickly turned back around in her seat. "Damn it!" Dani drove through a fallen billboard for Target wincing as the windshield cracked a bit. Miraculously her vehicle didn't stop moving and the blonde hit the accelerator once more. The young woman knew exactly what she was going to find when she reached her destination, but chose to ignore the knowledge for the moment. Hoping she was wrong. The end of her trip in more ways than one was just down the street, a street that was beginning to resemble something out of Psycho.  
  
She reached the outer rim of the site and turned off the car. Dani stared at it a moment noticing how much it looked like a subway tunnel and it had been placed in the middle of the business section. The blonde found it odd that despite she could see everything so clearly in the dead of night, but a light seemed to have found its way to the scene as if to say, "Everything you know is gone".  
  
"Come on, Slimer," she whispered. "We need to get out there."  
  
"Scary," Slimer said.  
  
"Fine. Whatever. Stay here and get eaten. I don't care what you do. There's something I have to do." Dani got out, slammed the driver's side door and went to the back, opening the trunk and pulling out a spare proton pack. She stuck it on her back and made her way on to the platform. The young woman pulled out the rifle and carefully examined the area watching out for both any entities and possibly places she could fall.  
  
"Guys, guys." Dani spun around in surprise and fired her rifle. "Ahhh!"  
  
"Slimer, you crazy son of a..." The blonde took a deep breath. "You don't sneak up on people. Never."  
  
"Sorry," the green ghost apologized.  
  
"Never mind. Did you find the guys?" Slimer looked at her a moment than took off to her left. "Hey! What's that about? Do I have to apologize?" Dani ran after him with the pack bouncing on her shoulders. She leaped over debris and skillfully ducked under a fallen sign without stopping. The green ghost led her toward the center of the area where a door sat. Dani would have normally questioned why a door sat in the center of a disaster area without a set of hinges or a wall attached to it, but she knew better. A glowing red light seemed to come out around the edges of the door and the young woman hoped it didn't open while she was here.  
  
"Guys," Slimer said one last time as he came to a stop. He pointed to an area off to her right and had a distressed look on his face. "All gone." Dani looked in the direction he was pointing and her legs nearly turned to Jell-O. She put the proton rifle back on its hanger.  
  
"Thank you, Slimer," she whispered. "I'm sorry I was mean. You can go back to hiding." Dani didn't bother to look back to see whether the Class Five had left. She was allowing her jelly legs to carry her towards the Ghostbusters still bodies. Dani could only look at them for a moment before falling to her knees and throwing up.  
  
"Noooo!!!!" She screamed looking at the sky. "Noooo!!!" The young woman sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest than began to rock back and forth as she cried. It had been a horrible idea to come back, but at least she knew the truth seeing it laid out before her in the image of four dead, but brave men. She stared at them through her blurred eyes and for a moment thought she saw Egon move, but decided it was just her imagination. When he seemed to move again she scrambled to her feet and fell down next to his blood covered body. "Egon?" Her fingers trembled as they reached for his neck. As she touched it the young woman could feel warmth under her fingers as well as slow pulse. "Egon?" His eyes slowly opened than fell on her after a moment.  
  
"Dani?" His voice was almost distant and unsure.  
  
"Yeah, it's me," Dani replied. She took his hand. "I thought you were dead."  
  
"I believe I was for a moment," Dr. Spengler replied hoarsely. "I also believe I told you not to come back." Dani let out a small laugh as she continued to let the tears flow down.  
  
"I don't listen, Egon. Aunt Katie was surprised I even let you convince me to leave. I turned right back around."  
  
"I'll have to lecture her later," the physicist retorted. He took in a sharp breath and winced at the pain radiating from his chest. "I don't suppose..."  
  
"No," Dani cut him off. "Nothing." He looked away from her a moment. "Egon, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. If I could change it I would." She squeezed his hand.  
  
"You didn't do anything," Egon told her. "Dani, you are not fault."  
  
"Well, it isn't yours. You stayed here to try and save the world. You had to battle something that stole Janine's life. You're the least faultiest person I know."  
  
"I'm not perfect, Dani. I didn't do everything I could have." He closed his eyes and Dani could feel his hand start to become heavier.  
  
"Egon?" Dani said. "Egon, stay with me."  
  
"It's time for him to leave." The young woman froze at the sound of the voice. It sounded so familiar, but for some reason it sent a chill down Dani's spine. The blonde looked over her shoulder and gasped. There was Janine wearing a black mini skirt and a white blouse. The redhead walked toward them with a sad look on her face.  
  
"You're dead," Dani whispered as Janine knelt down next to her.  
  
"True," the woman agreed. "But don't seem surprised. The guys always said it was possible for a person to come back as a ghost when they've died a violent death and there's something left undone."  
  
"What's left?" Dani inquired. "You can't do anything to help them now. Egon's barely here anymore."  
  
"He must move on," Janine said. Her hand began to stretch towards Egon's upper chest, but Dani suddenly grabbed it. The blonde was surprised to feel how solid the woman's wrist actually was compared to the cold, slimy feel of Slimer's thin wrists.  
  
"You aren't her. You're not a ghost."  
  
"Let go of me, foolish girl," 'Janine' hissed. "You're time is coming soon enough. It was rather ridiculous to come back."  
  
"Janine," Dr. Spengler whispered. Dani looked back at her cousin to see that his eyes were open once again.  
  
"It's not her," Dani told him. The fake Janine let out a low growl than grabbed the blonde woman by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Dani attempted to pull the fingers off her throat.  
  
"This is mine once again. I shall rule everything and my reign will continue forever. There is no one left to stop me."  
  
"I would think about that again." Dani's eyes went wide as she stared at Egon who had managed to climb to his feet though he looked as if he'd fall at any moment. His proton rifle aimed at his former girlfriend. "I'd say something witty, but I'm afraid I don't have the energy."  
  
"You will die, Egon Spengler. I allowed you to live past your usefulness." Before Dr. Spengler could fire the creature reached out with its other hand and seemed to reach inside Egon's chest. The physicist had a surprised look on his face for only a moment before falling once more to the ground.  
  
"Egon!" Dani managed to scream. Her cousin didn't move and there didn't to be any indication he was still alive or even hiding the fact he was. 'Janine' laughed and looked back at the blonde woman.  
  
"I believe I shall make them my puppets and they will dance for me forever. They shall die each night, but entertain me each day." The woman began to change back into its original form as a large ten foot creature with black spots. "But you will cease to live forever." With a wave of its other hand a pit of fire appeared directly below Dani's feet. "You were foolish to think you could do anything." The blonde screamed as she felt herself falling toward the flames....

* * *

"NOOOOO!!!" A young woman with reddish-brown hair yelled as she stared at her computer screen. Her finger trembled as she reached for the delete button, but pulled it back and held on to it tightly. She cried out once again as she re-read the last few pages. "Nooo!"  
  
"What's wrong, Briana?" The girl looked away from the screen at the brunette who had entered the room. "Did you see a spider? Was there another ghost?"  
  
"I killed them, Erin. I killed them because everyone wanted me to," Briana responded with an anguished look on her face. Her friend gave the young woman a look.  
  
"It wasn't like you were forced to," Erin replied in an unamused tone. "I can't believe you're upset about that. They're fictional characters. They do not exist." Briana's jaw dropped in shock and she covered her ears.  
  
"I didn't just hear you." Erin sighed and sat down in the chair next to her friend.  
  
"Listen to me. It was a story. A fan fiction story. A very excellently written fan fiction story, but none of the characters in it are real. I thought you understood that. Especially after our long conversation last time."  
  
"I had another conversation with Ray and he told me you were wrong," Briana replied. She picked up the figure of her favorite Ghostbuster and held it in Erin's face. "Tell her, Ray. Tell her everything you told me. You were so eloquent."  
  
"A toy was eloquent? Damn it, Briana." Erin got out of her chair and headed for the door, but turned around. "You didn't take your medicine, did you? That's why you're all up in the air about this." The brunette shook her head. "I might be your roommate and a really good friend, but I'm not your doctor. You need to remember to take your medicine or this'll keep on happening."  
  
"I don't like my medicine," the other young woman said. "It tastes horrible. Besides I like being able to talk to the guys. That's why I created Dani. It was so much easier to do it that way." Erin sighed and walked back over to her friend. She took the action figure Dr. Stantz away from Briana.  
  
"Now repeat after me," Erin started. "I won't talk to the toys anymore."  
  
"Can I still talk to the plants?" Briana inquired.  
  
"No."  
  
"The television?"  
  
"No."  
  
"The little man inside my phone?" Erin lifted the figure back up in front of Briana's face. She bent the figure until it broke in half.

* * *

"NOOOO!!!!" Dr. Stantz sat up in bed breathing heavily.  
  
"Ray, are you okay?" He looked toward the voice and saw that it was his girlfriend as she turned on the lamp on her side of the bed. He panicked a moment wondering how she got there, but realized he was in her room.  
  
"I just had the most horrible dream." The Ghostbuster shook his head. "I wish it had been a dream than maybe I'd still be sleeping. It was a nightmare."  
  
"What happened?" Dani asked as she sat up in bed.  
  
"A lot," Ray answered. "The first part had to do with Janine dying after becoming infected with something. After her death we end up having to fight the demon her death releases and we lose. Than there are the beginnings of like an apocalypse and that's where it ends."  
  
"Oh, wow," Dani breathed as she ran a hand through her messy blonde hair. "I'm sure that was pretty terrible."  
  
"Terrible is just a mild description of what happened," Dr. Stantz replied. "It turns out this crazy girl wrote the whole thing. And she was upset that these people had chosen the ending where everyone dies because she had to write it."  
  
"That's just weird," Dani commented making a face like she had smelt something bad. "When did you wake up?  
  
"When her friend in the dream was bending one of those toys of me," Ray answered. "I felt this twinge in my back." He moved around a little and made a slightly pained face.  
  
"That could be because you hurt your back today," the blonde pointed out. "You tried to do a little more than you could handle today."  
  
"I know what I can handle, Dani. I've been doing this a while."  
  
"I know, but I'm just saying that could be changing as the years go by."  
  
"Are you saying I'm getting old? I'm not old."  
  
"I didn't say that. I was just saying you need to be careful."  
  
"I am careful."  
  
"I know you are, but...." She smiled a little, but it faded into an unfocused look. _"Dan, wake up."_  
  
"What?" Ray said. "What did you just say?"  
  
_"Dan, honey, wake up,"_ the young woman repeated in a soft voice much different from her own.

* * *

"Dan!"  
  
"Ah!" Dan shouted as opened his eyes to find a blonde haired woman leaning over him with a concern look on her face. He sighed and rubbed his face.  
  
"I had the weirdest dream," he said as he sat up in bed.  
  
"You might have to tell me what it was about. All I heard was your mumbling than you might have yelled once or twice."  
  
"Donna, it was about the Ghostbusters," Dan replied. His wife groaned.  
  
"You're not going to try and make a movie out of it, are you?" Donna asked with a tired look on her face. "You know Bill's still going to say no."  
  
"He might like this one," Dan responded. "It has everything. Drama, humor, a big freakin' fight scene." Dan got out of bed. "Than it turned out to be this girl's nightmare who had written the whole thing, but she was crazy. She thought it was all real."  
  
"Dan, get back into bed," Donna told her husband. "I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. You need to realize as much as there is a large fan base out there for the franchise you can't do something that might disappoint the fans."  
  
"Than the real Ray Stantz wakes up and tells his girlfriend about it because at the end of the one with the crazy girl her friend breaks the toy of him," Dan continued. "I bet Bill will do this. I can even write him in as saving the day or getting the girl or something. He might like that."  
  
"Dan, go back to sleep."  
  
"I have to call Harold."  
  
"It's three in the morning. He's been filming that movie of his. I highly doubt he needs to hear about this. I know he said he was behind you on a third film, but this is ridiculous."  
  
"I wonder if Ivan's interested in directing."  
  
"Danny...."  
  
"Not now, Donna. I have some major work to do." The woman watched as her husband walked out of their bedroom and she laid back down with an exasperated sigh.  
  
"That is the last time I let him eat Thai food. It always does this to him."

**THE END**

* * *

I apologize for how long it took for the ending to come up, but I had a few difficulties in writing it. Stuff like this isn't easy. I hope you enjoyed it though. 


End file.
